PADRES OFFENSE EXPLODES, GIANTS KIDS SHOW UP, AND THE NL WEST GETS INTERESTING
August 12, 2026 | JackedUpSportz
Welcome back to JackedUpSportz, where everything in sports falls into one of two categories.
JACKED UP = bad.
UNJACKED = good.
And for anyone new here, JUS is an NL West focused sports blog. We cover the rest of the sports world too, but the NL West comes first.
Yesterday was actually a pretty good day around here.
The Padres destroyed the best team in baseball.
The Giants won behind a couple of rookies.
Arizona lost.
Unfortunately, the Dodgers also won.
Can’t have everything.
THE PADRES JUST DROPPED 11 ON MILWAUKEE
Okay, Padres.
Now we’re talking.
San Diego beat Milwaukee 11-2 last night for its fourth straight win.
Remember yesterday when I said the Padres offense looked like it might finally be waking up?
Apparently they read JUS.
Luis Rengifo hit the first grand slam of his career against the team that released him seven weeks ago.
He just fulfilled the dream of every released player since the beginning of baseball. Congrats, Luis!
Fernando Tatis Jr. also homered, and San Diego took a team with the best record in baseball and absolutely smoked them.
UNJACKED.
THIS IS THE OFFENSE PADRES FANS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR
Looking at the Padres’ batting averages, you wonder how they are even still in the race, but they are, and if their bats stay hot, everyone else better look out.
The Padres have now won four straight and seven of their last ten. They’re 64-57 and have pulled even with Arizona in the standings.
UNJACKED.
NOW FINISH THE JOB AGAINST MILWAUKEE
The Padres get Milwaukee again today at Petco.
They’ve already taken the first two games of the series.
Milwaukee is still 74-46. They’re still one of the best teams in baseball. Taking three straight from them would be a pretty serious statement heading into the second half of August.
VERY UNJACKED.
THE GIANTS WON!
I don’t get to write that enough this year.
The Giants beat Houston 4-1 last night at Oracle Park.
And the best part was who did it.
The kids.
Rookie Carson Whisenhunt went 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts, and worked his way out of two bases-loaded jams early.
Bryce Eldridge hit his 12th home run of the season, a 423-foot shot.
Drew Gilbert drove in a run.
Drew Cavanaugh drove in another.
UNJACKED.
BRYCE ELDRIDGE IS GIVING GIANTS FANS SOMETHING TO WATCH
This is where my attention is for the rest of the Giants season.
Bryce Eldridge.
He’s one of the young players who actually matters to the future of this franchise, and watching him launch a 423-foot homer against Houston is a whole lot more interesting than watching a veteran help the Giants finish 17 games out instead of 20.
The Giants need stars.
Maybe we’re watching one develop.
UNJACKED.
ARIZONA LOST, WHICH HELPS SAN DIEGO
Colorado actually did the Padres a favor last night.
The Rockies beat Arizona 3-2.
That loss dropped the Diamondbacks to 64-57 and allowed San Diego to pull even with them.
Arizona dropped off last season and ended up in fourth place in the NL West. Let’s see if they have the legs to stay in the race this season.
AND THEN THERE ARE THE DODGERS
Of course they won.
The Dodgers beat Kansas City 5-4 in 10 innings on a Max Muncy walk-off single.
They’re now 72-48 and still comfortably sitting on top of the NL West.
JACKED UP.
And they got Blake Snell back.
Snell returned after missing nearly three months following surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow. He struck out 10 in six innings while allowing one run on three hits and one walk.
Look, I like Blake Snell.
Former Padre. Former Giant.
Great pitcher.
But did his successful return have to happen while wearing a Dodgers uniform?
Apparently yes.
Also JACKED UP.
THE NL WEST RIGHT NOW
Los Angeles is still way out in front.
But behind them, Arizona and San Diego are now tied at 64-57.
Then we’ve got my Giants at 50-70 and Colorado at 47-73.
For JUS, the story is obvious.
The Giants aren’t saving us this year.
Arizona is in the fight.
San Diego is getting hot.
And somebody needs to make sure October isn’t another Dodgers parade to the World Series.
Right now, I’m looking at you, Padres.
AROUND THE SPORTS WORLD
Baseball is home around here, but there’s other stuff going on.
KYLER MURRAY IS OFFICIALLY QB1 IN MINNESOTA
The Vikings made it official yesterday.
Kyler Murray will start Week 1 over J.J. McCarthy.
That’s a pretty wild turn for McCarthy.
Minnesota drafted him in the first round to become the franchise quarterback, and now Murray has taken the job.
For Kyler?
UNJACKED.
For McCarthy?
JACKED UP.
And now we get to see whether Murray can turn this into a real second act.
FOOTBALL IS ALMOST HERE
We’re getting close enough now that NFL training camp stories actually start to matter.
Depth charts are taking shape.
Starting jobs are being won.
Guys are getting cut.
And soon we can stop pretending preseason football is exciting and watch games that actually count.
Football coming back?
UNJACKED.
THE JACKED LIST
This is the list nobody wants to be on.
Players who are hurt and out.
Joe Musgrove, Padres: On the 60-day IL as he returns from Tommy John surgery. He’s making rehab starts and is targeting a late-August return.
Nick Pivetta, Padres: On the 60-day IL with a right elbow flexor strain and working through a throwing progression.
Ramón Laureano, Padres: On the 60-day IL after hip surgery and expected to miss the rest of the 2026 season.
Matt Chapman, Giants: Sidelined with an abdominal injury and headed for season-ending surgery.
Daniel Susac, Giants: On the 10-day IL with a fractured left patella.
Jose Altuve, Astros: Left last night’s game against the Giants with a foot contusion after being hit by a pitch. Initial X-rays were negative.
Injuries?
Always JACKED UP.
THE UNJACKED LIST
Now the good news.
Players coming back.
Blake Snell, Dodgers: Activated and back on the mound last night after nearly three months out following left elbow surgery. Ten strikeouts in six innings.
Yes, he’s a Dodger.
The guy getting healthy is still good.
The Dodgers getting another great pitcher is not.
We’ll call this one complicated.
Edward Cabrera, Cubs: Continuing his rehab work as he returns from a left hamstring and adductor strain. The Cubs have not announced his return date.
Players getting healthy?
UNJACKED.
TODAY’S JUS SCORECARD
Padres scoring 11 runs: VERY UNJACKED
Padres winning four straight: UNJACKED
Rengifo grand slam against the team that released him: EXTREMELY UNJACKED
Padres pulling even with Arizona: UNJACKED
Giants rookies leading a win: UNJACKED
Bryce Eldridge hitting a 423-foot bomb: VERY UNJACKED
Giants still being 50-70: JACKED UP
Arizona losing to Colorado: UNJACKED
Dodgers winning again: JACKED UP
Blake Snell being healthy: UNJACKED
Blake Snell being healthy for the Dodgers: JACKED UP
The Padres are officially the team to watch right now.
Four straight.
The offense just exploded for 11 runs.
They’re tied with Arizona.
And they’ve got a chance to sweep the best team in baseball today.
Go get it.
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