The Latest Breaking News from Juan Soto

"Can I use your eyes?"

LOS ANGELES — The path of a pitcher returning from Tommy John surgery is rarely straight and pointing north. It usually zigs and zags, lunges forward and lurches back, with encouraging stretches of dominance offset by shaky moments of self-doubt.

SAN DIEGO — Fernando Tatis Jr. apologized. Juan Soto was scratched.

SAN DIEGO — Sean Manaea strolled through the clubhouse Saturday afternoon, turned the clubhouse stereo up and belted out classic rock songs, one after another, as he dressed at his locker.

SAN DIEGO — Two sinkers fluttered away from the strike zone — outside, then inside — before a change-up dived below it.

MIAMI — The Padres say this is different.

MIAMI — It’s handy to have another superstar.

MIAMI — Sandy Alcantara took the mound Monday with the Miami Marlins tumbling through their worst stretch of the season, to face the always-daunting San Diego Padres and their own All-Star ace. There is seldom much margin for error for Alcantara and it was even more so the case this…

WASHINGTON — It is August, so Blake Snell is the pitcher the Padres intended him to be and need him to be.