Jeremiah Estrada was hitting 95 and 96 mph with his fastball in Friday’s rehab appearance at low Single-A Lake Elsinore. A couple 97s, too, he said.

“Feel good; felt back,” he said as he unpacked his bag at his locker at Petco Park. “Been working hard with the staff here and just very blessed to have the training staff that we have here. You know, they really take the time and effort to help us get better.”

Estrada is not back officially. He’s expected to continue rehabbing this week with Triple-A El Paso. He landed on the 15-day injured list with elbow tendinitis on April 10 after his four-seam velocity dipped as low as 92.2 mph in his final appearance.

He allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning in the second game of the season, then rattled off five straight scoreless appearances before giving up two unearned runs on April 9, when the velo was consistently low.

Estrada hadn’t touched 97 mph since April 1 and had only hit that mark a handful of times in spring training. He averaged 97.9 mph with his four-seamer last year, when he threw a career-high 73 innings over 77 appearances, the fourth most among all relievers.

“Better than what it was up here,” Estrada said of the velocity he showed with the Storm.

Added Padres manager Craig Stammen: “It’s better than what it has been. Obviously, we want to see it consistently. You know, where he’s been in the past, and then go from there.”

Which is why Estrada will continue to throw in the minors despite being eligible to come off the injured list.

“I’m in no rush,” Estrada said. “I’m just trying to be where my feet are at. I don’t really want to look ahead that much. … We’ll see how time goes.”

Giolito OK

Lucas Giolito is expected to make his next minor league start with Lake Elsinore this week after taking a comebacker off his right thumb on Saturday and leaving the game.

He was checked out at Petco Park on Sunday and is back to playing catch ahead of his next start with the Storm.

Giolito does not have a locker in the home clubhouse yet, nor is he expected to throw between-start bullpen sessions with pitching coach Ruben Niebla during his ramp-up.

Giolito signed a big-league deal with the Padres on April 22 and was immediately optioned to the Storm. There are rules in play with that transaction as opposed to a pitcher on the injured list like Griffin Canning, who has been in and out of San Diego between his rehab starts for Triple-A El Paso.

“He’s got to be where he’s supposed to be to do all that kind of stuff,” Stammen said. “But Lake Elsinore being so close, it doesn’t prevent us from going and watching that or seeing that kind of stuff. We’ll keep eyes on him whenever we can.”

Giolito threw 63 pitches over 2⅔ innings on Saturday, striking out four and allowing two runs on two hits and three walks before the comebacker ended his night.

His one-year deal with the Padres included a stipulation that he had to be placed on the active roster by May 16.

The Storm begin a six-game series in Ontario on Tuesday.

Earning more

Ty France homered twice on Saturday in Mexico City. He did not start Sunday but was in the starting lineup on Monday against Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd as the Padres loaded their lineup with right-handed hitters.

That meant Miguel Andujar (DH) and Nick Castellanos (right field) were also in the lineup alongside France at first base. Andujar (.786 OPS) leads that trio with 64 plate appearances, followed by 51 from Castellanos (.404 OPS) and 36 from France (.864 OPS). Monday was just France’s 11th start of the season. Castellanos has 13 starts and Andujar has 17.

“He’s just taken well to that role,” Stammen said of France. “He’s capable of going a lot of days without playing and then having some big at-bats when he does get in there. And he’s definitely earned some more at-bats as we go forward. We love Ty on the team. He’s got a great personality. He fits in well with all of our guys.”

Notable

• Infielder Sung-Mun Song was returned to Triple-A El Paso after serving as the 27th man for the Mexico City Series. He appeared only as a pinch runner on Sunday. The left-handed-hitting Song is hitting .293/.369/.320 with 12 RBIs and 21 strikeouts in 20 games at Triple-A El Paso.
• Outfield prospect Kale Fountain will undergo season-ending surgery Tuesday after sustaining a left shoulder subluxation following a run-in with a wall last week in Lake Elsinore. The Padres’ fifth-round pick in 2024 after setting Nebraska’s career high school home run record, Fountain was ranked No. 9 in the system by MLB.com. He was drafted as a third baseman and was playing his first year in the outfield following his post-draft Tommy John surgery. Fountain was hitting .182/.286/.327 with two homers in 14 games with the Storm.