Padres pregame: Looking to avoid sweep, Kyle Higashioka behind plate

With a day after night game and a left-hander on the mound, the Padres (3-5) have wholesale changes at the bottom of the order as they look to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Cardinals (3-3).

First pitch is at 1:10 p.m.

Kyle Higashioka is receiving just his second start of the season, pushing Luis Campusano and his team-best .400 batting average to the bench.

Higashioka has struck out in all four plate appearances so far and is the lone Padre without a hit this season.

For his career, Higashioka is a .209/.252/.392 hitter, although he has 10 home runs each of the last three seasons.

Eguy Rosario will start at third base in place of Tyler Wade/Graham Pauley and Jose Azocar is starting in center field over Jackson Merrill.

Rosario and Azocar started the Padres’ only other game against a left-handed pitcher.

Rosario is 2-for-10 with a double and a home run.

Azocar is 2-for-7 with a walk and two runs scored.

The top six spots in the lineup have been the same through the first nine games.

Here is the Cardinals lineup as they look to hand the Padres their first three-game sweep since Aug. 25-27, 2023 at Milwaukee:

Wednesday’s pitching matchup

Cardinals LHP Zack Thompson (0-1, 8.44 ERA)

The third-year pitcher served up three homers in 5 ⅓ innings in his first start of the season. A first-rounder in 2019, Thompson allowed three runs — two earned — in four innings (4.50 ERA) in a start last year.

Here is how current Padres have fared against Thompson:

• 2B Xander Bogaerts (0-for-3, K)
• SS Ha-Seong Kim (1-for-3, BB)
• DH Manny Machado (1-for-3, K)
• CF Jose Azocar (1-for-2, 2 RBIs, K)
• C Luis Campusano (0-for-1, BB)
• RF Fernando Tatis Jr. (0-for-1, RBI)
• LF Jurickson Profar (0-for-1)

Padres RHP Joe Musgrove (0-1, 9.72 ERA)

While Musgrove found a way to pitch into the sixth inning after a rough first frame in his last start, his 15 hits allowed are the most in the majors. Musgrove has a 5.22 ERA in 11 career starts against St. Louis, the last in 2022 (5 IP, 1 ER).