The San Diego Padres are 27-15 and look poised to make back-to-back postseason appearances. They are in second place in the National League West, only half a game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025.
As a quarter of the season hits the books, the Padres took two out of three from the visiting Los Angeles Angels in a short west coast series.
San Diego got off to their best start in franchise history at the beginning of the season, starting 8-0 for their first time.
Let’s dive into why Padres fans should have hopes of making the playoffs and possibly making a postseason run.
Why the Padres Are a Playoff Lock
All-Stars Are Producing
Some baseball experts could argue that Fernando Tatis Jr. has been the best player in the MLB so far. Currently, the two-time all-star is batting .308, while smashing 11 home runs (tied for 8th), 26 RBI’s, and has an OPS of .943 (11th). Tatis is a do-it-all player and has been a human highlight reel any time he steps onto the field.
As for his teammate, third baseman Manny Machado, his production has almost matched Tatis’s. The six-time all-star is performing at a high level, during a season when he has had to step up with Center Fielder Jackson Merrill missing several games after being plagued by a right hamstring strain. Machado has done that and more, having a .340 average (5th) and .901 OPS (20th) to help lead the Friars to one of their best starts in a tough NL West division. If it wasn’t known before, Machado and Tatis are the leaders of the team out west.
Pitching Has Stepped Up Without Ace Yu Darvish
On the mound for the Friars, it has been nothing short of superb. In 2025, the Padres have a team ERA of 3.30, which is tied for 5th in the league. The bullpen has been even better, posting a 1.65 ERA, which is the best in the MLB on the young season. People forget this team lost Yu Darvish before the season began and lost Joe Musgrove, who is an outstanding number two or three starter.
Free agent acquisition Nick Pivetta has filled the void nicely, putting up a 3.05 ERA, with 44 punch-outs. Dylan Cease, who has been a reliable starter in the regular season, has taken a step back but will be expected to find his starting form. Michael King has been the best pitcher in the rotation, and San Diego has received much-needed help from unlikely starters Randy Vasquez and Stephen Kolek.
Here are the numbers so far for the starting rotation:
Michael King: ERA of 2.32, 56 strikeouts.
Nick Pivetta: ERA of 3.05, 49 strikeouts.
Dylan Cease: ERA of 4.60, 58 strikeouts.
Randy Vasquez: ERA of 3.45, 23 strikeouts
Stephen Kolek: ERA of 0.00, 11 strikeouts
Another positive for San Diego is that Darvish began his rehab assignment, pitching for the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas on May 14th. He threw four innings and struck out four batters.
Staying Healthy and Expecting a Trade Before the Deadline
Besides Darvish, the team is back to full strength after losing First Baseman Luis Arraez for over a week when he sustained a concussion after colliding with Houston Astros’ Mauricio Dubon on April 20th. Now that Merrill and Second Baseman Jake Cronenworth have returned, expect this team to continue its winning ways. San Diego finished 93-69 last season and earned a wild card berth with almost the same team, except for the loss of left fielder Jurickson Profar in the off-season.
Expect the Padres to make a move before the trade deadline. General Manager A.J. Preller has a history of being active before the deadline. The Friars could look to add another bat, potentially in Left Field or off the bench, as veteran Jason Heyward has been a disappointment this season. They could also add another arm in the bullpen. Last season, Preller traded for Jason Adam from the Tampa Bay Rays and setup reliever Tanner Scott from the Miami Marlins to solidify the bullpen. If the Padres continue to rack up wins, Preller will most likely pull the trigger to improve the roster in hopes of making a deep postseason run.
San Diego will hang with the Dodgers throughout the season for a potential division bid, but if they can’t overcome them, expect the Padres to secure a Wild Card berth. Manager Mike Schildt has this team playing with confidence and knows what adjustments to make during certain situations. Remember, this team had the Dodgers on the ropes last season, taking them to a final game in the National League Division Series.
Main Image: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
