Padres activate Luis Campusano from 10-day IL

The Brewers got one in the top of the 11th, but it wasn’t enough. It initially looked like Jackson Merrill hit the game winner with one out and runners on first and third in the bottom of the inning, but right fielder Luis Lara made a fantastic leaping catch to turn it into a sac fly. After a stolen base put the winning run on second, Campusano hit a low liner to right for a clean single. Lara’s throw home seemed to be in time to retire the runner, but Gary Sánchez jumped to catch the ball when it really didn’t seem like he needed to and then couldn’t get the tag down in time. It gave the Padres a three-game sweep with two one-run victories and an 11-2 blowout.

The Padres still won’t give Campusano DH time, but at least he’s starting at catcher more frequently than Freddy Fermin right now. He’s batting .311/.410/.513 in 139 plate appearances.

Campusano was scratched from the Padres’ lineup on Sunday due to abdominal soreness, but it looks like it was only a minor issue and he’s doing much better after a few days off. He’ll start behind the dish and bat ninth for the Padres on Friday evening against Royals’ right-hander Seth Lugo.

Campusano is available off the bench, so this is all precautionary, and not related to the oblique injury that shelved him in late June. The 27-year-old should be considered day-to-day, with a good chance to return after the All-Star break.

Campusano is 5-for-11 with three walks since coming off the IL on Friday. He’ll stay plenty busy behind the plate for the Padres while Freddy Fermin is out, but he also might deserve some DH time once Fermin returns; he’s batting .317/.403/.619 with four homers in 72 plate appearances on the season.

Campusano suffered a fractured big toe while fouling a pitch off himself on May 5. He’ll replace Rodolfo Durán as Freddy Fermin’s backup once healthy.

The Padres had been taking it day-to-day with Campusano, but they finally decided it was best to sit him down for a week and let the injury heal rather than to continue to wait for him and play shorthanded. Rodolfo Duran was promoted from Triple-A El Paso to take his spot on the active roster.

Padres manager Craig Stammen told reporters Campusano is banged up after fouling a ball off his foot during Tuesday’s game against the Giants. He’s questionable for Thursday’s series opener against the Cardinals.

Campusano took Jaden Hill for a ride with a solo shot in the seventh inning. That’s the second homemr of the campaign for the backstop, and he is already up to six doubles to go with the roundtrippers. IT’s very early, but Campusano has played well in his limited time with a slash of .333/.385/.667 in his 36 at-bats.

Fermin was replaced by Luis Campusano behind the plate after taking a foul tip off his catcher’s mask. The 30-year-old will undergo evaluation for a possible concussion. There should be an update on his status following the game.