News Padres Team Notes

What is Luis Arraez’s value?

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Luis Arraez

The San Diego Padres traded for 1B/2B Luis Arraez in May of 2024, sending prospects Dillon Head, Jacob Marsee, Nathan Martorella and pitcher Woo-suk Go to the Marlins. Arraez had already won a batting title in 2022 and 2023 as well as being a two-time All-Star.

There has long been a debate within baseball as to what value Arraez brings to a team. It is the thought process behind any discussion about his frequent trade history. Arraez has been in the league since 2019 and is playing for his third team, having established his hitting prowess after the 2020 season with the Minnesota Twins. He was traded to the Miami Marlins for the 2023 season and then to the Padres after just a season with the Marlins.

With the Padres, Arraez got another batting title in 2024 and went to his third All-Star game. But the discussion continues regarding what he brings to a team and what his value will be when he becomes a free agent at the end of this season.

His reputation as a singles hitter, and the relative poor quality to the rest of his game, could argue that landing a contract after this season could be a challenge. It is not arguable that this is the worst season of his career since establishing himself. His first two seasons had inconsistent playing time and he didn’t break out until 2021.

Using the Fangraphs stats, Arraez has dropped in all hitting categories this season. Not just his average and OBP have dropped, but his hard hit percentage, his barrel percentage, his exit velocity and his launch angle are all down. His OBP, which is arguably the most important of his offensive stats, is .318 so far this year. His previous low was .346 in 2024. His .285 batting average is the first time he has been below .300 since 2021.

A simple way to view his decline this season is with his Baseball Savant page. Remembering that red is good and blue is bad, Arraez profiles as a player who doesn’t swing and miss a lot and squares the ball up well when he hits it, but otherwise is a poor performer in all other categories. His defense and speed are also profiling as below average. If you go back to last season and 2023, you see the steady decline in his offensive performance, while his defense and speed rate out about the same.

WAR is a measurement used to add up all aspects of player performance and assigns a value. It stands for Wins Above Replacement and compares the player to a bench or replacement player in baseball. WAR has not been kind to Arraez through his career because of his single outstanding skill, hitting the ball for a high average. His fWAR (Fangraphs assessment) has ranged from 0.5 in 2020, when he played less, to 3.4 in 2023. For 2025 his fWAR sits at 0.4, down from 1.1 last season. In comparison, the next lowest full-time position player is Jake Cronenworth at 2.4. Gavin Sheets and Jackson Merrill both are below 2.o, but have either missed time or been part-time players.

Fangraphs assigns player value (in dollars) to coincide with the skills and performance of a player. Arraez was valued at $26.9 million in 2023, his best season. For 2025, the valuation sits at $3.6 million. His only other season close to that is 2020 at $4 million.

Although there are some that don’t value what Arraez brings to a team, the Padres obviously do. They have continued to bat him second in the lineup for most of the season, never dropping him to the bottom third, based solely on his past performance and the amount of hits he has (he leads the team in hits).

The discussion remains that a single skill might not be good enough to get a good free agent contract next year and since that single skill has declined significantly, Arraez might have a tough road ahead.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-diego-padres-analysis-commentary/49668/what-is-luis-arraezs-value
 
Injuries piling up on the Padres

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There is an old saying in baseball that a crowded trainer’s room looks a lot like a MASH unit. Suddenly, the San Diego Padres’ training staff is treating a high volume of injuries at the wrong time of the 2025 baseball season.

Granted, the Padres had their fair share of injuries this season. But the recent road trip and the Labor Day opening-series contest have tested the Friars’ roster depth. Several key contributors suffered injuries that could change the look of the roster for the final month of the campaign.

The loss of Adam is devastating​


The Padres placed Jason Adam on the injury list, as he is expected to miss the remainder of the season after rupturing his left quad tendon in the series-opening game against the Baltimore Orioles. The loss of Adam is a significant blow to the bullpen.

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The injury forces Jeremiah Estrada to rise in the pecking order and pitch in more high-leverage situations. The back of the ‘pen will remain intact, as Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller are the setup relievers before handing the reins to team closer Robert Suarez.

Bogaerts’ bat will be missed​


The injury malaise began when Xander Bogaerts fractured his foot in Seattle. Team doctors declared him out for the remainder of the regular season. However, all parties are holding some hope that Bogaerts can return for the postseason.

The offense will miss his bat, as Bogaerts worked his way back to becoming a consistent run-producer in 2025. His replacement will be Jose Iglesias, who is a good defender, but the Friars need more consistent hitting from him. Hopefully, playing every day will provide a spark at the plate.

The Padres’ offense works best when the bottom of the order turns the lineup over and forces opposing pitchers to face Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arraez, and Manny Machado with runners in scoring position.

Friars cannot lose Tatis Jr. for an extended time​


If you hear a sigh of relief inside Petco Park, the exhale came from the Friars’ dugout. The team may have avoided an IL stint for their best outfielder, Fernando Tatis Jr., after he was seen clutching his hamstring in the last game of the Minnesota Twins series.

Padres skipper Mike Shildt kept Tatis Jr. out of the lineup for one day, so as not to put his legs at risk. Shildt must avoid pushing him to the brink of blowing out his hamstring. Any time on the IL would be devastating for the team’s offense.

It is too late in the season to lose a player of Tatis Jr.’s ability. The offense cannot have another bat missing from the lineup during the stretch run to the playoffs. Shildt was correct to give him a day to preserve his body.

Injuries create opportunities for other players to succeed. At this point in the season, no team can afford to lose players indefinitely. The Padres need someone to step up and make an immediate contribution.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-diego-padres-news/49672/injuries-piling-up-on-the-padres
 
Padres suffer shutout loss to Rockies, continue losing skid

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Nick Pivetta did his part to help the San Diego Padres break their losing streak in the series opener against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, Friday. As the starting pitcher for the Padres he allowed two runs and scattered seven hits over six innings of work. He also allowed two walks and struck out five, but it was not enough, as San Diego dropped the series opener to Colorado, 3-0 and saw their losing streak extend to five games.

Nick Pivetta strikes out five batters and only allows two runs in six quality innings of work against the Rockies#ForTheFaithful pic.twitter.com/aNtCFtIeYh

— San Diego Strong (@PadresStrong) September 6, 2025

Pivetta allowed a solo home run to Hunter Goodman in the bottom of the third inning, which allowed the Rockies to take a 1-0 lead, which is not an insurmountable deficit. But it felt like it with the way Colorado starting pitcher Kyle Freeland was working. He threw four hitless innings and got the first out in the fifth before allowing a double to Ramon Laureano. The most impressive part of Freeland’s start was him striking out eight of the first 12 batters he faced.

Hunter Goodman – Colorado Rockies (28)
pic.twitter.com/SOo5vVQgd7

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 6, 2025

Pvetta allowed the second run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning after three consecutive singles to Mickey Moniak, Goodman and Jordan Beck. Beck drove in Moniak to put the Rockies up, 2-0.

David Morgan allowed the third run of the game, when he allowed a walk to Moniak. He then allowed a double to Goodman, who hit a shallow pop fly toward the right field line. Fernando Tatis Jr. attempted a sliding catch, but did not make the play, which allowed the run to score to give Colorado a 3-0 lead.

San Diego hitters were kept off balance all game and did not record the second hit of the game until the bottom of the eighth inning. Jose Iglesias singled with two outs, but was left there when Jake Cronenworth grounded out to end the inning.

The Padres tried to mount a rally in the top of the ninth with a Luis Arraez pinch-hit leadoff walk. Tatis Jr. followed with a single to put runners at first and second with no outs. Ryan O’Hearn then flied out to shallow left field and Manny Machado grounded into a double play to end the game.

San Diego plays Colorado, Saturday at 5:10 p.m.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...-shutout-loss-to-rockies-continue-losing-skid
 
Game 141: San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies

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San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies, September 5, 2025, 5:40 p.m. PST

Location: Coors Field, Denver, CO

Watch: Padres TV

Listen: 97.3 The Fan



Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

  • Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
  • Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
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GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...game-141-san-diego-padres-at-colorado-rockies
 
Mason Miller provides a highlight

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Mason Miller

It’s hopeful we can call this the low point to the season and that this is where it stops. With their starting pitchers struggling to get out of the fourth inning and the offense in a hole before they can get started in most of the games, the San Diego Padres went 1-5 for the past week. Their overall record stands at 76-64 and they remain in competition for the NL West while holding on to their Wild Card spot by one game.

Taking one game from the Minnesota Twins on the road and being swept at home by the Baltimore Orioles, the Padres did not play good baseball and saw their MLB best bullpen severely taxed, while trying to bail out the team. The bullpen remains the tops in baseball with a 3.07 ERA, but the starters sit 15th with a 4.12 ERA for the season. In the nine games since the end of the Dodgers series, the starters have averaged 3.2 innings per start and have a 7.52 ERA.

Outfielder Ramón Laureano continues his sweltering streak of success. Since joining the Padres (31 games), Laureano has a .322/.376/.574 line with seven home runs and 24 RBI. He has also played stellar defense in both left and center field. In the recent power rankings for MLB, he is listed at No. 6.

Gavin Sheets has extended his hot streak as well, hitting .368 for the week with a .903 OPS, while not playing every day. Both Manny Machado (.182/.568 OPS) and Fernando Tatis Jr (.200/.654 OPS) are mired in hitting slumps.

The Immaculate Inning

Reliever Mason Miller gave the Friar Faithful something to cheer about in the last game of the home series versus the Orioles. Pitching the eighth inning in the 7-5 loss, Miller threw the second immaculate inning in Padres history. Striking out the side with nine sliders in a row, Miller threw nine pitches for three outs and joins former Padre Brian Lawrence (2002) as the only Friar to accomplish the feat. The immaculate inning is the reliever version of a no-hitter and is even more rare. There have been 118 immaculate innings in major league history compared to 326 no-hitters. The rarest feat in baseball is the perfect game- there have been 24 in MLB history.

Roster changes and injury updates

Michael King was at the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona yesterday and threw a 62 pitch, five inning effort according to an update by manager Mike Shildt on the Ben & Woods program (97.3 FM) Friday morning. Depending on how he recovers from that effort, a return to the Padres rotation could be this next homestead.

Shortstop Xander Bogaerts went on the IL with a fractured foot after fouling a ball off himself. He will be out for the rest of the regular season, but could be eligible in October. He was replaced on the roster by Mason McCoy.

Kyle Hart, who has been working as a reliever recently, was called up Aug. 31 and Alek Jacob was sent to El Paso

Catcher Martin Maldonado, who was released by the Padres at the trade deadline, signed a minor league deal.

Sean Reynolds was brought up and Jackson Merrill was activated off the IL on Sept. 1. These players served to fill the two extra roster spots allowed.

Jason Adam ruptured his left quadriceps tendon on Sept. 1, while trying to lunge for a liner hit past him. The injury was confirmed by MRI the following day. Adam was placed on the IL and underwent surgery on Sept. 3 recovery is six to nine months. Alek Jacob returned from El Paso to fill the bullpen spot.

  • This article was written prior to the Padres’ 3-0 loss to the Rockies, Friday

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...ntary/49726/mason-miller-provides-a-highlight
 
Padres end losing streak with 10-8 win in Colorado

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It was not the most dominant way to end a losing streak, but it was effective.

The San Diego Padres scored six runs in the second inning of the second game of their three-game series against the Colorado Rockies and went on to win the game 10-8 at Coors Field, Saturday.

The Padres took advantage of Rockies starting pitcher McCade Brown, scoring six runs on five hits and limiting him to just 1 2/3 innings. It was a significant change from the effort shown by Colorado starter Kyle Freeland, who held San Diego scoreless and allowed just two hits, Saturday.

Brown hit Ryan O’Hearn to start the second. He then allowed a single to Ramón Laureano before hitting Jackson Merrill to load the bases. Jake Cronenworth reached on an infield single and gave the Padres a 1-0 lead.

Jake Cronenworth brings home a run with an RBI infield single to give the Padres a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st#ForTheFaithful pic.twitter.com/bJ6RMJt0YI

— San Diego Strong (@PadresStrong) September 7, 2025

Freddy Fermin, who recorded two hits and three RBI in the game, doubled to give the San Diego a 3-0 lead with runners at second and third. Mason McCoy struck out for the first out of the second inning and Fernando Tatis Jr. cleared the bases with a three-run home run to left-center to give the Padres a 6-0 advantage.

A swing of beauty. pic.twitter.com/0TWSg2EJfd

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 7, 2025

Brown remained in the game and allowed a single to Luis Arraez, got Manny Machado to fly out for the second out of the inning and issued a walk to O’Hearn before he was pulled from the game.

Randy Vasquez made the start on the mound for San Diego after his recent call-up from Triple-A El Paso, and gave back two runs in the bottom of the second inning to make the score, 6-2. One of the runs was unearned as the runner reached safely on a throwing error by McCoy.

Vasquez would go on to complete six innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits with three strikeouts and no walks allowed.

Fermin recorded his second hit of the game and recorded his third RBI with a single in the top of the fifth to make the score, 7-2. The Padres added another run on a McCoy RBI-single to go up, 8-2. A single by Tatis Jr. loaded the bases and Arraez singled to drive in two runs to put San Diego ahead of Colorado, 10-2.

Adding on! pic.twitter.com/yCpKcbCBWq

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 7, 2025

Hunter Goodman homered off Vasquez in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 10-3. Jeremiah Estrada came on for the seventh inning and faced five batters, striking out two, but allowed a double, a walk and single that gave the Rockies another run to cut the deficit to 10-4. Estrada then allowed a three-run home run to Jordan Beck and a game that seemed to be in-hand was now 10-7.

Jordan Beck – Colorado Rockies (15)
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— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 7, 2025

Mason Miller came on for Estrada to end the seventh. Miller stayed on for the eighth and was able to get three outs against four hitters to preserve the Padres’ lead.

Robert Suarez came in for the save in the bottom of the ninth inning and allowed a solo home run to Mickey Moniak, which pulled the Rockies within two at 10-8. Suarez would also allow a single before the inning ended, but eventually locked down the save and the win for San Diego.

Mickey Moniak – Colorado Rockies (19)
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— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 7, 2025

It was a good offensive night for the Padres. Machado was the only player not to get a a hit, finishing 0-for-5. Arraez and O’Hearn each had three hits in the game and Tatis Jr., Laureano and Fermin each had two hits.

The Padres play the Rockies, Sunday at 12:10 p.m.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...s-end-losing-streak-with-10-8-win-in-colorado
 
Dylan Cease gets first road win of season, Padres win series

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Not sure who needed the win more… Dylan Cease, who despite being healthy and having pitched the entire 2025 season did not have a road win or the San Diego Padres who were looking to avoid their fourth consecutive series loss. Either way, Cease and the Padres both got what they needed with an 8-1 win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, Sunday.

Dylan Cease strikes out five Rockies over his five strong innings of work during his start against Colorado#ForTheFaithful pic.twitter.com/IWeY1tAs9g

— San Diego Strong (@PadresStrong) September 7, 2025

Cease entered the contest with all seven of his wins this season coming in front of the Friar Faithful at Petco Park. The Padres were coming off a series sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles, and lost the previous two series to the Seattle Mariners and the Minnesota Twins.

San Diego dropped the first game of the series against Colorado, Friday and was held without a hit through 4 1/3 innings and managed just three hits in nine innings. The Padres bounced back with a 10-8 win, Saturday setting up the rubber match in the final game of the series. With Cease on the mound and on the road, winning the final game of the series against the NL West last place Rockies was no guarantee.

Cease completed five innings, allowing one run on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He pitched with a lead throughout the game as a result of Manny Machado blasting a 452-foot two-run home run in the top of the first to give the Padres a 2-0 lead.

Manny Mash™️ pic.twitter.com/lQqkp7cbgn

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 7, 2025

Jackson Merrill gave Cease additional run support with an opposite field solo home run in the top of the second inning to push San Diego ahead, 3-0.

Lights, Camera, Jackson. pic.twitter.com/Kvlb2SQxF5

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 7, 2025

The Rockies were able to get a run in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to 3-1. The Padres responded quickly with three runs in the top of the fourth, which included a one-out 451-foot solo home run from Gavin Sheets to give San Diego a 4-1 lead.

Clean Sheets. pic.twitter.com/jqzi686rK5

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 7, 2025

The Padres added two additional runs in the inning after a two-out double by Jake Cronenworth and an RBI-single by Freddy Fermin to put San Diego ahead, 5-1. The Padres pushed the lead to 6-1 when Machado drew a bases loaded walk.

Ramón Laureano led off the top of the fifth inning with the fourth home run of the day for San Diego to make the score 7-1. The eighth and final run came later in the fifth inning when Merrill scored on a wild pitch to put the Padres comfortably in front by the score of 8-1.

Stay hot, Ramón 🔥 pic.twitter.com/wZVbvkAAPb

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 7, 2025

Adrian Morejon, David Morgan and Ron Marinaccio covered the final four innings of the game for San Diego and allowed a combined two hits, two walks and four strikeouts.

The Padres return home to play the Cincinnati Reds, Monday at 6:40 p.m.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...ts-first-road-win-of-season-padres-win-series
 
Game 143: San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies

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San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies, September 7, 2025, 12:10 p.m. PST

Location: Coors Field, Denver, CO

Watch: Padres TV

Listen: 97.3 The Fan



Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

  • Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
  • Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
  • Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads

GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...game-143-san-diego-padres-at-colorado-rockies
 
Padres get walk-off win to open series with Reds

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The San Diego Padres recorded 31 hits in their final two games on the road against the Colorado Rockies. They returned to Petco Park to start a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday and were held hitless until the bottom of the fourth when Gavin Sheets hit a double to the right-center field gap. San Diego would add another hit against Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo on a bunt-single by Jake Cronenworth in the bottom of the fifth. The Padres were unable to get any additional offense going against Lodolo, however he only pitched five innings and the Padres’ bats came to life against the Reds’ bullpen.

San Diego scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game and had an opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the 10th inning after closer Robert Suarez and Wandy Peralta combined to work a scoreless top half of the inning. Cronenworth started the inning as the runner at second base for the Padres. Freddy Fermin dropped a bunt toward third base that was fielded by pitcher Nick Martinez. The Cincinnati reliever threw late and wide to first base, allowing Fermin to reach and Cronenworth moved to third. Fernando Tatis Jr. stepped to the plate with a chance to win the game and recorded a sacrifice fly to left-center field that allowed Cronenworth to tag up and score from third to give the Padres a 4-3 extra-inning win.

Red Rover, Red Rover, send Croney right over. pic.twitter.com/IZ7A8xIqus

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 9, 2025

Yu Darvish, as has been the case lately with San Diego starting pitching, fell behind early after allowing a leadoff home run to TJ Friedl to start the game. Cincinnati built on its 1-0 lead with a second run in the top of the third inning. Elly De La Cruz hit a ground ball through the middle of the infield for a two-out, RBI-single to score Friedl and put the Reds ahead 2-0.

TJ Friedl – Cincinnati Reds (12)
pic.twitter.com/WfaJ1Dn1A4

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 9, 2025

Cincinnati scored its third run of the game in the top of the sixth inning when Darvish allowed a one-out solo home run to Austin Hayes to give the Reds a 3-0 lead. Darvish got Gavin Lux to fly out to left field for the second out of the inning and he was then replaced on the mound by Alek Jacob. He got the final out of the inning and the Padres went to the bottom half of the sixth inning with a 3-0 deficit and a new pitcher on the mound for Cincinnati.

Austin Hays – Cincinnati Reds (15)
pic.twitter.com/hOozy4RB2D

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 9, 2025

Reds reliever, and former Padre, Scott Barlow allowed a leadoff single to Tatis Jr. He stole second before Luis Arraez lined out to left field for the first out of the inning. Manny Machado followed with a strikeout and Sheets came up with a chance to drive in a run for San Diego. He did just that when he ripped a two-out, RBI-double to right field that allowed the Padres to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Gavin Sheets laces an RBI double in the bottom of the 6th inning to narrow the deficit to 3-1#ForTheFaithful pic.twitter.com/XXBR50eTgO

— San Diego Strong (@PadresStrong) September 9, 2025

Ramón Laureano drew a four-pitch walk to put runners at first and second for Jackson Merrill, knocking Barlow out of the game. Merrill delivered a game-tying hit off Cincinnati reliever Brent Suter with a line drive into right-center field that Reds centerfielder Friedl was unable to catch on a sliding attempt into the gap. The ball dropped to the turf and Sheets and Laureano scored to tie the game, 3-3.

FIRE US UP, JACKSON pic.twitter.com/UEayvgTuwX

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 9, 2025

The San Diego bullpen allowed just one hit after the sixth inning. Jeremiah Estrada came on after Jacob and recorded two outs. He allowed a two-out double, the only hit allowed by a Padres reliever, after he struck out the first two batters of the top of the seventh. Adrian Morejon came in to get the final out of the seventh inning. Mason Miller pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Suarez pitched a scoreless ninth and got the first two outs of the 10th before Peralta came in to finish the inning against Friedl.

The Padres continue their series with the Reds, Tuesday at 6:40 p.m.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...res-get-walk-off-win-to-open-series-with-reds
 
Padres back on track after sluggish September start

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San Diego Padres Manny Machado and Luis Arraez celebrating a win at Coors Field (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

One of the best marathons run each year is a baseball season. Once the calendar hits Labor Day, it begins the sprint to the finish. Too often, the summer contenders fade away, as they did not have the stamina to last the six-month journey.

For the San Diego Padres, the first week of September was as disastrous as possible. They lost the first four games of the month, but have rebounded nicely, winning the last two contests. Still, thoughts of a collapse have crept into the minds of the Friar Faithful. Now, the next three weeks will determine if the Padres claim a postseason berth or begin their offseason vacation.

Catching the Dodgers is still viable​


The winner of the National League West could be best described as being the most consistent among a group of inconsistent teams. At various times this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and the Friars looked ready to soar before coming to a crashing halt.

Since the All-Star break, all three teams have played well enough to remain in the playoff conversation. The Dodgers are 21-25 with only one series victory in the second half. You guessed it: the win was a three-game series sweep against the Padres at Dodger Stadium in mid-August.

Unlike seasons past, the Padres need to get their house in order before setting their sights on a division crown. Unfortunately, their hopes rely on others to defeat the Dodgers, as the Friars do not play them again in the regular season. But, San Diego can position themselves nicely by winning the majority of their remaining games.

The Padres are confident they can disrupt the Dodgers’ plans to host a wildcard round series. If not, no one can argue their success against the Friars in October.

Padres’ offense needs to produce​


Inconsistency is the best term to describe the Padres’ offensive attack. The conversation should be over on the franchise’s payroll issues, as the Padres revamped their roster by adding salary at the trade deadline. September is the time to make an impact.

Someone in the lineup needs to become the anchor of the offense. What does that mean? Well, it means getting big hits that change the outcome of close games to your advantage. To remain in the postseason hunt, the Friars will have to match their season average (4.15) of scoring runs each night.

It is time for Manny Machado to get hot at the plate. His impact can carry the team to the postseason. Such an outcome could have lasting implications for Machado’s legacy with the franchise.

Starters need to provide length​


Coming out of spring training, the Padres had a promising starting rotation, but that notion has come apart at the seams. Injuries and inconsistency have forced Friars manager Mike Shildt to turn to struggling Nestor Cortes in the most important starts of the season. The positives have come in small samples.

To remain in contention, the rotation will need to carry the Padres to the finish line. However, Dylan Cease has yet to rediscover the magic that earned him 14 wins last season. Darvish has allowed 33 runs in 51.2 innings pitched. The jury is still out if Michael King can make an impact on the season. What once seemed like a strength has become a weakness.

The Friars come home to face the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park. It is a team trying to get back into the wildcard chase. Padres starters can set the tone and end their dreams with a series victory.

The 2025 Padres are built to play in October. But the team must perform well down the stretch to earn a postseason berth. If all goes well, the Friars will be a dangerous opponent.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...-back-on-track-after-sluggish-september-start
 
Bullpen allows two runs, Padres waste stellar start from Nick Pivetta

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Nick Pivetta gave the San Diego Padres exactly what they were looking for in the final game of the series against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park, Wednesday.

Pivetta pitched seven innings without allowing a run. He allowed one walk and struck out eight batters before leaving the game with a 1-0 lead.

Nick Pivetta strikes out eight Reds over his seven scoreless innings of work during his start against Cincinnati#ForTheFaithful pic.twitter.com/soYSoQaGkB

— San Diego Strong (@PadresStrong) September 11, 2025

Despite Pivetta’s efforts, the San Diego bullpen could not hold the lead and the Padres lost to the Reds 2-1 and dropped the series as well.

San Diego scored its lone run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. lined a solo home run to left field to give the Padres the lead.

El Niño 💪 pic.twitter.com/qcHkcDgJke

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 11, 2025

Cincinnati appeared to have tied the game with two outs in the top of the seventh inning against Pivetta, but Ramón Laureano went up over the left field wall and caught the ball to keep the Reds off the scoreboard and keep the Padres in the lead.

RAMÓN ROBBERY pic.twitter.com/ytC1UtfGOL

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 11, 2025

Pivetta left after his seven innings of work and Kyle Hart took over in the eighth. Hart recorded the first out, but TJ Friedl reached on a bunt to put a runner on base. Friedl advanced to second on a ground ball out and was in scoring position for Elly De La Cruz with two down.

De La Cruz faced Adrian Morejon, who came in for Hart. The Reds shortstop singled to right field and Friedl rounded third base and headed home. Tatis Jr. fielded the ball and made a strong throw to the plate, but Friedl slid in headfirst just before Elias Diaz could apply the tag and the game was tied, 1–1.

CLUTCH HIT, CLUTCH SLIDE@ellylacocoa18 x @TjFriedl1 pic.twitter.com/7wjFscEuQi

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 11, 2025

De La Cruz stole second and Morejon intentionally walked Austin Hays to put runners at first and second. Miguel Andujar pinch-hit for Cincinnati and delivered an RBI-single that dropped just in front of Laureano in left field and the Reds took a 2-1 lead.

🚨 RALLY REDS 🚨 pic.twitter.com/4jgSo55HyB

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 11, 2025

The Padres were able to get out of the inning, but could not score in the bottom of the eighth. Morejon returned to the mound for the top of the ninth inning and surrendered back-to-back walks after getting a groundout to start the inning.

San Diego brought Yuki Matsui in to replace Morejon and he walked the first batter he faced to load the bases with one out. Matsui then recorded a strikeout and a groundout on a tapper back to the mound to escape the jam.

Gavin Sheets opened the bottom of the ninth with a double down the left field line. He was replaced at second by Jose Iglesias. Laureano then popped out for the first out of the ninth and Jackson Merrill hit a deep drive to center for the second out. Iglesias was able to tag and advance to third base with two outs.

Bryce Johnson came in to pinch-hit for Mason McCoy needing a hit to tie the game. Instead, he struck out on three pitches and the Reds won the game and the series.

San Diego welcomes Colorado to Petco Park for the first of four games against the NL West foe, Thursday at 6:40 p.m.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...-padres-waste-stellar-start-from-nick-pivetta
 
Good Morning San Diego: Loss of Jason Adam finally catches up with Padres in loss to Reds


Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...inally-catches-up-with-padres-in-loss-to-reds
 
Padres open four-game series with shutout win over Rockies

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Luis Arraez turned in a 3-for-4 night at the plate, which included an RBI-single in the bottom of the third inning that proved to be the game-winning run as the San Diego Padres opened their four-game series against the Colorado Rockies with a 2-0 win at Petco Park, Thursday.

Arraez came to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. Freddy Fermin, who reached on a one-out single and advanced to second base on a wild pitch, came in to score on the Arraez single and gave the Padres a 1-0 lead. He added two additional singles in the bottom of the fifth and the bottom of the eighth inning. Arraez accounted for half of San Diego’s six hits.

Atta boy, Luis! pic.twitter.com/kV59BqyoG0

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 12, 2025

The RBI-single in the bottom of the third inning was all Padres starter Randy Vasquez would need. He delivered a dominant outing with six shutout innings, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out nine batters.

Randy Vásquez strikes out nine Rockies over his six scoreless innings of work during his start against Colorado#ForTheFaithful pic.twitter.com/kVPQBIXLNz

— San Diego Strong (@PadresStrong) September 12, 2025

Vasquez did not need additional runs, but San Diego added to its total in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jackson Merrill hit an opposite field solo home run to left field that put the Padres ahead, 2-0.

Ballin' like Merrill Madness. pic.twitter.com/5RCzjQzORE

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 12, 2025

Jeremiah Estrada came in to pitch in the top of the seventh inning and did not allow a hit, while striking out two batters. Mason Miller handled the top of the eighth inning and he too did not allow a hit and recorded two strikeouts. Robert Suarez handled the top of the ninth inning and worked efficiently retiring all three batters he faced, which included a strikeout en route to the save.

Arraez and Merrill recorded four of the six hits for San Diego and Ryan O’Hearn and Fermin added the other two hits.

The Padres play the Rockies, Friday at 6:40 p.m.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...our-game-series-with-shutout-win-over-rockies
 
Suarez’s woes halt Padres’ momentum

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A quality major league closer is a true sports phenomenon that defies explanation. They enter the game in the ninth inning with a lead and are expected to preserve the victory with no mishaps taking place.

Unfortunately, a closer may not record a single out, and the lead is suddenly lost. For the San Diego Padres, this scenario persists with closer Robert Suarez. No one can identify why his struggles unfold with no rhyme or reason.

Now, the Friar Faithful ask how many more blown saves or bad outings are needed before the Padres to remove Suarez from the closer position.

Suarez is not a sure thing in the ninth​


The role of the closer is to secure a win. Suarez has blown five saves this season. The result for the Friars is wasting an opportunity to gain ground on the National League West division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

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His troubles began when he failed to protect a lead against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 14 and again four days later against the Dodgers on June 18. Last month, Suarez gave up a run on two hits and a walk in an eventual 5-4 extra-inning home win over the Boston Red Sox. The final straw took place in the second game of the recently completed Cincinnati Reds series. Suarez let an opportunity for a walkoff win slip away with a two-out, two-run home run by Tyler Stephenson in the top of the ninth inning.

Padres need to make a change at the closer position​


We all have heard the excuses: he worked in back-to-back games, Suarez is tipping his pitches, or Padres Manager Mike Shildt pulled the starter too soon in the contest.

I’m not going to dissect each pitch thrown, but Suarez is guilty of failing to execute in key moments of games. You cannot characterize his struggles as a rough stretch in the season. The problem has persisted for far too long.

Too many potential wins have gone by the wayside this season. It is too late in the season to say, “That is baseball, as we cannot win every game.” The Friar Faithful are frustrated by the crushing defeats and are getting tired of hoping the Padres can rebound with a meaningful victory. It can get pretty exhausting chasing down the team ahead of you in the standings.

It is time for the Friars to turn the page and name Mason Miller as their new closer. He has been outstanding since arriving in San Diego at the trade deadline. Miller has a 1.17 ERA in 15 appearances in the brown and gold. Someone else needs to be given a chance in the role, and his elite velocity makes Miller the right choice.

It is hard to explain Suarez’s struggles. The Friar Faithful were confident when he took the mound in the ninth, but that is no longer true. A change at the closer position might be the right call for the Padres to secure a postseason berth.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-diego-padres-news/49905/suarezs-woes-halt-padres-momentum
 
JP Sears allows four runs on two homers, Padres offense fails to get big hit in 4-2 loss

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Ryan O’Hearn stepped to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning with two on and two out and the San Diego Padres trailing the Colorado Rockies, 4-2. O’Hearn faced Colorado closer Victor Vodnik with a chance to win the game with one swing of the bat. O’Hearn saw four pitches with the last two being changeups and struck out swinging, stranding Gavin Sheets at third base and Jackson Merrill at first base, to end the game.

The Padres jumped on top of the Rockies early with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Manny Machado hit a two-out, solo home run off Colorado starting pitcher Tanner Gordon and it appeared to be a sign of good things to come for the San Diego offense. Instead, Gordon settled in and pitched six innings and allowed one run on two hits with one walk and nine strikeouts.

An order of sliders, please 🍔 pic.twitter.com/cU8EwmxgVZ

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 13, 2025

The Padres did not seem to have an answer for the Rockies starter or the relievers for that matter. San Diego did not fare much better against the Colorado bullpen adding three additional hits over the final three innings of the game. Machado led the offense with two hits and Luis Arraez, Sheets and O’Hearn each added a hit.

JP Sears started on the mound for the Padres and was cruising through the first three innings. He ran into trouble in the fourth inning when he found himself with two on and two out. Sears was facing Blaine Crim, who was recently called up for the Rockies, and he hit his first big league hit and home run with a three-run blast to left-center field to give Colorado a 3-1 lead.

Blaine Crim – Colorado Rockies (1)
pic.twitter.com/fzIegtTOAO

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 13, 2025

Sears was still needing an out to get out of the inning and faced Kyle Farmer, who hit a solo home run to center field to extend the Rockies’ lead to 4-1. Sears finished his night after 4 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. All of the runs scored against Sears came via the home run.

Kyle Farmer – Colorado Rockies (8) pic.twitter.com/IyJ8T8xEAh

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 13, 2025

The Padres had opportunities to score in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings and had two on and no outs in both frames. San Diego was unable to score in either inning and entered the bottom of the ninth still trailing, 4-1. In the bottom of the ninth, the Padres scratched out a run after Machado hit a one-out single. Sheets doubled to moved Machado to third. Ramon Laureano hit a ground ball to the right side of the infield to allow Machado to cross the plate, but was thrown out at first for the second out of the inning. That led to the Merrill walk and gave O’Hearn his opportunity in the ninth. San Diego plays Colorado, Saturday at 5:40 p.m.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...dres-offense-fails-to-get-big-hit-in-4-2-loss
 
Game 150: Colorado Rockies at San Diego Padres

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Colorado Rockies at San Diego Padres, September 14, 2025, 1:10 p.m. PST

Location: Petco Park, San Diego, CA

Watch: Padres TV

Listen: 97.3 The Fan



Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

  • Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
  • Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
  • Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads

GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-die...game-150-colorado-rockies-at-san-diego-padres
 
Padres hold off Rockies to win game, series

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What appeared to be a game where the San Diego Padres were going to be able to rest their high-leverage bullpen arms turned into a game where those same arms needed to secure the win against the Colorado Rockies.

The Padres took a 7-0 lead after three innings thanks in part to a blend of small ball and the long ball. Jackson Merrill and Jake Cronenworth recorded bunt singles in the first inning that led to San Diego scoring three runs.

Gotta love it. pic.twitter.com/xpJq9b2Yqa

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 14, 2025

Merrill returned to the plate in the bottom of the second inning and blasted a three-run home run to left-center field that put the Padres ahead 6-0 in the second.

Good things come in 3s 😌 pic.twitter.com/8Gtoqb3lnW

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 14, 2025

San Diego started the bottom of third inning with three straight singles that resulted in a run. The third single was hit by Freddy Fermin and scored Cronenworth to give the Padres a 7-0 lead.

Yu Darvish was the starting pitcher for San Diego and enjoyed the early run support. Darvish cruised through the first three innings, but allowed a solo home run to Mickey Moniak in the top of the fourth to make the score, 7-1.

Mickey Moniak – Colorado Rockies (20)
pic.twitter.com/iPb6hQiNec

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 14, 2025

Darvish rebounded and did not allow another run until the top of the sixth inning. Darvish allowed back-to-back singles to start the inning. Jeremiah Estrada came in to pitch for the Padres and allowed a three-run home run to Moniak on the first pitch he threw. The homer made the score, 7-4.

Mickey Moniak – Colorado Rockies (21)
pic.twitter.com/OGHEgAS9XN

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 14, 2025

Adrian Morejon pitched the top of the sixth inning and allowed a two-out RBI-double to Ezequiel Tovar to make the score, 7-5. Morejon then faced Moniak, who hit his second RBI-single of the game and made the score, 7-6.

Mason Miller came in for Morejon and ended the top of the sixth inning with a strikeout. Miller stayed on the mound for the eighth inning and retired all three batters.

Mason McCoy started the bottom of the eighth inning with a double. Fernando Tatis Jr. singled and stole second to put runners at second and third with no outs. After back-to-back strikeouts of Merrill and Ramón Laureano, Gavin Sheets deliver a ground-rule double that pushed the San Diego lead to 9-6.

Sheets Insurance Co. pic.twitter.com/1XXaCQYWKt

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 14, 2025

Robert Suarez came on to seal the win for the Padres in the top of the ninth inning and worked around an error on Jose Iglesias to record three strikeouts to get the save.

No Manny, Arraez or Bogaerts today and the Padres take the series! pic.twitter.com/1L9L64rKGH

— Talking Friars (@TalkingFriars) September 14, 2025

San Diego is off Monday. The Padres return to action in Queens against the New York Mets, Tuesday at 4:10 p.m.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/san-diego-padres-news/50003/padres-hold-off-rockies-to-win-game-series
 
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