Germán Márquez gets 1st win with San Diego Padres in 2nd start

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Germán Márquez is a winner with the San Diego Padres.

The right-hander pitched five effective innings in Monday night’s 5-0 victory at Pittsburgh. He allowed six hits, struck out four and walked one in his second start with his new team.

It was his first win since June 18 for Colorado at Washington.

“It’s been a while, man,” Márquez said.

The 31-year-old Márquez is trying to rebuild his career with San Diego. He won a spot in the team’s rotation after agreeing to a minor league deal in February.

Márquez spent his first 10 seasons with Colorado, going 68-72 with a 4.67 ERA in 200 starts and three relief appearances. He missed most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to Tommy John surgery, and then struggled in his final year with the lowly Rockies.

Márquez went 3-16 with a 6.70 ERA in 26 starts in 2025. He recorded his first win of last season on May 11.

Colorado finished with a 43-119 record, setting a franchise record for losses.

Márquez dropped his first start with San Diego when he surrendered four runs and eight hits in three innings in a 9-3 loss to San Francisco last week.

He threw 92 pitches against Pittsburgh, 56 for strikes. He got some help from Gold Glove outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr., who cut down Ryan O’Hearn when he attempted to score from second on Spencer Horwitz’s single in the second.

The Pirates put a runner on third with one out in the fifth, but Márquez escaped the jam when he retired Brandon Lowe on a popup to third and Bryan Reynolds on a flyball to left.

“A couple breaks went his way, and then he finished strong, too,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “So got that breaking ball going. That’s key for him doing well.”

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