Padres' catching depth could be tested after Fermin takes foul ball to face
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SAN DIEGO -- Padres catcher Freddy Fermin exited Wednesday’s game against the Mariners after taking a foul ball off his mask in the top of the third inning.
Fermin, who was replaced behind the plate by Luis Campusano, was struck by a hard foul ball from Seattle leadoff man Brendan Donovan. Manager Craig Stammen and a team trainer spent several minutes talking with Fermin, before Fermin was removed from the game.
If Fermin were to miss time, things could get tricky for the Padres, who are thin behind the plate and do not have another catcher on their 40-man roster besides Campusano.
Fermin has been stellar defensively this season, though he’s started the season slowly offensively. He’s hitting just .161 with a .496 OPS, having split time relatively evenly with Campusano.
Campusano, meanwhile, is off to a strong start to the 2026 season. He could see a marked uptick in playing time if Fermin is sidelined. Rodolfo Duran, who has a .772 OPS in 12 games with Triple-A El Paso this season, seems likeliest to get the call should Fermin land on the IL.