What happened: San Diego included the right-hander on its wild-card roster for the opener. He struck out the first batter he faced to open the outing.

Why it matters: The appearance ends an absence dating to Oct. 2, 2024. It gives San Diego another available arm during the wild-card round.

What to watch: His workload over the rest of the series will clarify his role. Next outing will show how quickly he can work on short rest.