News Padres Team Notes

[San Diego Padres]

Dylan Cease continues to struggle, Padres lose

Dylan Cease | Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

San Diego shutdown by Brandon Pfaadt, finishes with four hits

The San Diego Padres needed their de facto ace Dylan Cease to deliver a performance similar to the one provided by rotation mate Nick Pivetta on Tuesday night. Cease failed to even come close to matching the performance and surrendered six runs to the Arizona Diamondbacks and watched them cruise to an 8-2 win at Petco Park, Wednesday.

Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove started the 2025 season on the IL and Cease and Michael King were expected to become 1A and 1B in the Padres rotation. Then King made his way to the IL and Cease was expected to be the top pitcher in the San Diego rotation.

To this point in the season, based on his performances, Cease has not assumed the role of “Ace” of the Padres staff. A good performance against the Diamondbacks would have gone a long way on multiple fronts to show he was ready to take that title.

Cease, however, allowed solo home runs in the third and fourth innings, giving Arizona a 2-0 lead, heading into the top of the fifth. That’s the inning when the night went from bad to worse as the Diamondbacks added for runs to their total on the strength of a Geraldo Perdomo grand slam to make the score, 6-0.

Geraldo Perdomo - Arizona Diamondbacks (10)
pic.twitter.com/zNa0z6JxcM

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) July 10, 2025​

Cease allowed a one-out walk to James McCann and a single to Alek Thomas before he got Corbin Carroll to strikeout to give him two outs in the frame. With McCann and Thomas on, Cease walked Ketel Marte to load the bases and Perdomo delivered the difference-making swing.

San Diego was able to get a run on a Bryce Johnson RBI-groundout in the bottom of the fifth to score Xander Bogaerts and make the score, 6-1. The Padres added a second run in the bottom of the seventh inning when Gavin Sheets led off with a solo home run to cut the deficit to, 6-2.

Gavin Sheets solo home run!!#ForTheFaithful pic.twitter.com/5xMvOrXwin

— San Diego Strong (@PadresStrong) July 10, 2025​

That was all the scoring for San Diego and the Padres watched as the Diamondbacks added a run on an RBI-groundout in the top of the eighth and a solo home run by Carroll in the top of the ninth to put Arizona up, 8-2.

Corbin Carroll with homer #21 on the season!

He leads all NL outfielders in SLG% pic.twitter.com/ITZxMW7QC0

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) July 10, 2025​

Cease finished the night with six innings pitched. He allowed six runs on five hits with three walks and eight strikeouts. He allowed three home runs on the night.

Pfaadt, meanwhile, completed eight innings. He allowed two runs on four hits with no walks and three strikeouts. He allowed one home run on the solo shot by Sheets in the seventh.

The San Diego offense did not provide much support for Cease and the rest of the Padres pitching staff. San Diego managed just four hits in 31 at-bats and the hits were spread over four different Padres.

San Diego finishes the series with Arizona, Thursday at 6:40 p.m.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/2025/7/9/24464942/dylan-cease-continues-to-struggle-padres-lose

 

[San Diego Padres]

Padres Michael King’s return seen as significant trade deadline addition

San Diego Padres Michael King | Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images

The Friars’ starting rotation is missing their star pitcher

The San Diego Padres did some roster maneuvering to bring Yu Darvish back on the 40-man roster and start the opening game of a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The team transferred Michael King to the 60-day injured list, but the move did not change his timeline to return to the roster this season.

No confirmation on King’s return date​

King was scratched from a May 24 start after experiencing a knot in his right shoulder. Padres manager Mike Shildt thought his star pitcher might have slept wrong on his arm. However, the pain kept lingering. Team doctors diagnosed the righthander with a pinched nerve in his throwing shoulder.

There is no confirmed return date, but the Padres are cautiously optimistic that King could be back on the mound in August. It is not wrong to envision his return as a significant trade deadline addition.

Shildt confirmed King would be out indefinitely to MLB.com Padres writer AJ Cassavell

“I think that’s pretty accurate. I don’t think we can begin to put a date on it. … As we all know, the further away he is from it, the longer it takes to get back.”

However, King threw a bullpen today and he seems happy about it.

Michael King threw all his pitches and got up to 91 mph in his bullpen today. I think it's safe to say he REALLY wants to get back ASAP

More from @sdutKevinAcee: https://t.co/vybuO4Z2jJ pic.twitter.com/wcMhghkhaX

— Talking Friars (@TalkingFriars) July 11, 2025​

King’s future is up in air​

King was off to an outstanding start to the 2025 season. He posted a 4-2 record with a 2.59 ERA in 10 starts. His walk-to-strikeout ratio is impressive, as King walked only 7.6% of the batters he faced, while striking out 28.4% of them.

The unexpected injury has put a damper on his chances of receiving a big-money free agent contract this winter. A pinched nerve is a challenging condition to treat, as rest is often the most effective course of action for recovery. It might be best for King to exercise the mutual option in his current deal and play in San Diego next season. It allows him to add another season of quality pitching stats to his resume.

The mutual option is beneficial for the Friars as well. They cannot afford to lose one of their top starting pitchers, as it has been a patchwork effort following Nick Pivetta and Dylan Cease in the rotation. The mutual option allows them to keep the majority of their rotation intact for the 2026 season.

Padres must be cautious with his rehab​

The Padres are taking baby steps in beginning King’s extensive rehab throwing program. His arm will need to be built back up. King has started throwing off a slope.

The next step is throwing 100% from a mound before live bullpen sessions and then progressing to rehab starts with one of the Friars’ minor league affiliates. His recovery days must be without pain and discomfort in the shoulder before the Friars would consider King a starting pitching option in a game.

It would not be a stretch to expect him to be a bit rusty once he returns to the majors. It will be hard at first to execute his two-strike pitches for swing-and-misses. The Friar Faithful must keep the faith that King’s command will return in short order without delay.

The Padres need reinforcements for their starting rotation in the second half of the season. A healthy King on the mound renews the hope that the team is poised to make a serious run to the postseason.

Source: https://www.gaslampball.com/2025/7/...n-seen-as-significant-trade-deadline-addition