The San Diego Padres currently sit as the No. 4 seed of the National League and second in the National League West with a solid 32-26 record. With just over a quarter of the regular season behind the Padres, here are some highlights, critiques, and takeaways from their run so far.
Standout Players: Xander Bogaerts and Gavin Sheets
Despite obstacles this season, the Padres boast stars like first baseman Gavin Sheets and shortstop Xander Bogaerts who have shaped the dynamics of the ball club through their offensive production. Sheets was recently crowned the National League Player of the Week after his 10-for-16 at-bat line, with four home runs and eight RBIs, helped the team win four of six games the week of May 11. Complementing Sheets’ power, Bogaerts racked up hits and provided his veteran expertise to the clubhouse, ending the 2025 campaign with a .263 average and 129 hits. Bogaerts came into this season driven to reclaim his starting position, with intensifying talks in the offseason from fans questioning his role in the organization. After 10 seasons and two rings with the Boston Red Sox, he has proven himself to the organization. Following last week’s series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Bogaerts nearly leads the team with 26 RBIs and 49 hits, now sitting at the top of the lineup. Playing his 14th season in the league, the veteran shortstop has quickly assumed a leadership position and seeks to push his team closer to an NL West title this season.
Best series: Colorado Rockies at San Diego Padres
In early April, the Padres sat at a .500 overall record and trailed the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers by three games. Fortunately, with the Colorado Rockies coming into town, the Padres were able to showcase real San Diego baseball for the first time this season. In game one, the Padres and Rockies headed into extra innings tied at 1-1. After trading runs in the 10th and 11th innings, the bottom of the 12th brought back the iconic Slam Diego Padres when Bogaerts hit a grand slam to secure the team’s first walk-off win of the season. In the second of the series, the Padres found themselves, once again, tied with the Rockies headed into the bottom of the ninth. This time, with runners on first and third, Sheets swung and hit a ball to deep right center field, clinching the Padres’ second walk-off win in two nights. In the last two games of the series, the Padres defeated the Rockies, recording 9-5 and 7-2 wins thanks to the Friars’ ability to effectively hit the home run ball. San Diego’s nine total home runs led the way for a clean sweep over the Rockies and brought the Padres within one game of the Dodgers in the NL West standings.
Biggest setback: Inconsistent bats
Despite successes in the first quarter of the season, the Padres have faced numerous setbacks, preventing them from performing to their full potential. With an already-packed injury list, lack of production from some key players, and difficulty with batting early in ballgames, the team has been plagued with struggles in recent years. A current issue haunting the lineup is the difficulty the team has with batting early in ballgames. As of May 31, the Friars are worst in the league in batting average and hits, with the team average sitting at .218 and picking up 411 hits across 58 games this season. San Diego has become known for late-game comebacks — seven of its last 10 wins have been due to late-inning offensive production. Rather than relying on headline-making comeback wins, the Padres need to remain consistent throughout ballgames and the season ahead in order to optimize their chances of taking the NL West from the Dodgers. Star right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. has had his own difficulties at the plate that have cost the team opportunities to overtake the Dodgers in the standings. On May 30, Tatis drove his first home run of the season, a stat that is nearly unbelievable considering his 25-homer season last year. Though he’s ranked 10th in the league for hard-hit percentage, he struggled this season with launch angle and execution. Tatis’ inability to fully connect with a pitch to drive it into the stands has reflected on the team’s performance, with the Friars tied for 17th in home runs this season.
Key to future success: Mason Miller
In order for the Padres to remain contenders in the battle for the NL West, they need to play into their strengths. Closer Mason Miller has become indispensable in the bullpen. Miller, who’s notorious for his 100 mph fastballs, has a 0.72 earned run average with 49 strikeouts and 17 saves across 24 games. Recently, he held the Padres’ franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings, going 34 1/2 innings before giving up a run to the Chicago Cubs on April 28. The Padres closer has proven his worth to the organization as he continuously shuts down offensive production late in the games when needed most. Although his historic streak is behind him, Miller continues to show up for the Padres and dominate opponents.
