The San Diego Padres - 2025 and Beyond

[Sundance]

7/1/2026

International free agents have entered the market! OSA’s top prospects are:

1B Adrie “Blinky” Van Den Burgt (Curacao) – VDB has the potential to develop into an offensive force. He has a superb knack for getting the bat on the ball, a solid eye, and good pop. If he develops, he should anchor a lineup for years to come. The biggest knock against VDB is his defense. He is a huge liability out in the field.

2B Li-Ping “Trucker” Huang (Taiwan) – Another solid offensive prospect. Huang is a great contact hitter that displays enough pop to turn on a few. He has good speed and is smart on the bases. However, his defense leaves much to be desired. Despite his speed, his range at second base is rather limited, he displays poor footwork when turning double plays, and he has a very weak arm.

C Antonio “Stumpy” Gonzalez (Mexico) – Gonzalez makes good contact and has good pop, but he’ll expand the strikezone every so often. Yet another offensive prospect, as his defensive ability rates rather poor. Gonzalez has trouble stopping balls in the dirt, and runners will have a field day thanks to his weak arm.

LHP Yannick Erkelens (Curacao) – Might develop into a 5th starter, but will most likely end up in the bullpen. Erkelens has good stuff, highlighted by a devastating changeup, but he hangs too many pitches, and his accuracy it too inconsistent for him to be truly effective. He can spot start or eat up innings, but don’t expect much than that.

RHP Breno Grelo (Venezuela) – Should be a decent reliever. Grelo gets good movement on his pitches with above average control. However, he just can’t seem to put it together in game, and his stuff comes across as mediocre. He’s got a good fastball and sinker, and a changeup that he would be better off forgetting about. The lack of ability to change speeds will hurt him.

SS Antonio “Ghost Runner” Alvarez (Puerto Rica) – Depending on the team, Alvarez could find himself either leading off, or down in the 8 spot. He’s an incredibly difficult player to strikeout, but a poor eye limits his ability to get on base. As his nickname would suggest, Alvarez is among the fastest players around. He constantly puts the defense under pressure and can get into a pitcher’s head once he is on base. He has enough tools to be in the league, but perhaps not enough to make any real impact.

LHP William Delzoppo (Australia) – Will most likely end up as a player that’s always bouncing back and forth between the big leagues and AAA. He’s got a fastball and sinker, but not much else. The lack of variety hurts him, as batters are able to just key in on a rather constant velocity. Will end up in a bullpen somewhere, but once a roster move is needed, he’ll be the first to go.

LHP Chia-Ch’ing “Scarface” Chuko (Taiwan) – He’ll play a role in someone’s bullpen down the line. He’s got a good fastball and slider, which will be enough to get him through an inning or two at a time. He’s a competitor, which allows him to get the most out of his limited repertoire.

RHP Gerben Oomsen (Curacao) – Could be a backend starter on a middle of the road team. He’s got 2 good pitches in a fastball and slider, and a great one in his changeup. He also boasts great control, but his stuff just isn’t effective in game. He’s got enough talent to be in the league, but not enough to be a star.

C Wing-Fung Jiang (Taiwan) – Jiang should find a place on a roster, although he’ll never be a star. He’s a solid all-around hitter that will put together an unspectacular career of average seasons. He won’t hurt you, but he’s not going to carry the team either.

7/12/2026

RF Tim Elmore was taken out of today’s game against the Crusaders after being hit by a pitch. Elmore looked to be in quite a bit of pain, and we are just now learning why – the 23 year old has fractured his ulna. The word on the injury is that Elmore will miss a minimum of 5 weeks.

7/13/2026

Recently injured RF Tim Elmore has been named the NL Player of the Week! Elmore hit .524 with 2 HR and 5 RBI. For the season, Elmore is hitting .315 with 12 HR and 49 RBI.

In other news, the All-Star teams have been announced! The Padres’ representatives will be:

SP Beau Burrows (10-1, 2.42 ERA)
SP Gustavo Spotelli (9-2, 2.81 ERA)
SP Chris Thompson (12-2, 2.35 ERA)
CL Matt Laval (2-1, 25 SV, 2.68 ERA)
C Jose Rodriguez (.324/.440/.462, 6 HR, 53 RBI)
3B Adrian Martinez (.318/.369/.546, 18 HR, 65 RBI)
SS Brendan Rodgers (.302/.363/.485, 13 HR, 42 RBI)
LF Bernardo Orosco (.355/.412/.531, 9 HR, 43 RBI)
RF Tim Elmore (.315/.360/.495, 12 HR, 49 RBI)

7/20/2026

2B Chris McKinney has been selected as the NL Player of the Week! Over the last 7 days, McKinney has hit .706 with 3 RBIs. This incredible run was helped by a 5-5 game against the Dodgers last night.

7/21/2026

LF Bernardo Orosco will miss the next week due to soreness in his back. The 24 year old told reporters that he felt something tweak in his back while rounding first base. Although visibly in pain, Orosco stayed in the game and went 2-4 with a triple.

Monthly Review

The Padres’ pace has slowed some as we reach the middle of the season. Still, they managed a winning record of 16-11 this month, bringing their overall record to 73-30. 2nd place Colorado has made up a couple of games and now sits 17 games back. The Padres maintain the best record in baseball, with 12 more wins than the next closest record (Milwaukee).

Monthly Awards

AL:

Top Batter – Koto Suzuki (.412 BA, 12 HR, 35 RBI, 23 R), Tigers
Top Pitcher – Parker Joe Robinson (3-0, 19 K, 9 SV, 2.20 ERA), Tigers
Rookie – Steve Hill (.324 BA, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 14 R), Falcons

NL:

Top Batter – David Vargo (.304 BA, 7 HR, 22 RBI, 22 R), Reds
Top Pitcher – Hector Rodriguez (5-0, 45 K, 1.32 ERA), Cubs
Rookie – Madison O’Keefe (.321 BA, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 12 R), Mets

[Sundance]

As the trade deadline looms just hours away, there has been a flood of reports coming to light detailing a growing rift between Padres’ GM Syrio Forel and Owner John Moores. Mr. Moores denied requests for comment, but Forel was quick to strike on the PR front. “It’s ridiculous. My job is to put together the best team that I can and win. And that’s exactly what I’ve done. My staff and I have put together a team that has made the playoffs seven times in the last eight years. We put together a squad that won the franchise’s first championship; and then we went on to win four more. Everything that we have built and have worked for was for this moment. We have the best team in baseball, and it kills me…KILLS ME…to know that I have to make a move today. And what hurts even more is that no matter what move I make, it won’t be enough. There are still going to be players that are left out in the cold because the ownership isn’t willing to truly invest in this product that we have built. We’ve changed the culture of this city. We’re no longer part of the senior circuit. No, we’re the team that stars want to play for. We’ve brought the fans out in droves year after year, and the team’s market is bigger than it’s ever been. John is living in the past. This isn’t the small market moneyball club of previous years. We’re champions. I just wish that he could see that.”

Forel's frustration is aimed at the current contract situations of a number of key players. 3B Adrian Martinez, SP Chris Thompson, CL Matt Laval, and MR Dave Ling are all in the last year of their contracts. Each of these players has played an integral role in San Diego's success this season, but owner John Moores has refused to grant GM Forel additional funds to re-sign these players. Although details have been kept under close wraps, it is expected that the Padres will make moves at the deadline in order to free up funds.

Trade #1:

Reports are coming across that the Padres have made their first big move of the deadline. San Diego has traded CF Brad Sutherland and a selection of draft picks to Baltimore. In return, the Padres receive Baltimore’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round draft picks. With a price tag of $8,750,000, the front office just didn’t feel like they were getting their money’s worth out of Sutherland. When asked to comment GM Forel responded, “We talked to Brad about the move and I feel that we left that meeting with a mutual understanding. Things just weren’t working out, and I think that a change of scenery could be good for him. We wish him nothing but the best.” The Orioles were more than willing to make this deal happen. The club is in the process of rebuilding, and they view Sutherland as the star that they build their team around.

Trade #2:

The Padres have traded former 1st round draft pick MR Myron Potts. Potts has outstanding stuff and can touch 100 MPH. He’s a high risk, high reward type of pitcher, as once the ball leaves his hand there’s no telling where it’ll end up. Potts struggled to put everything together for the Padres, and with the departure of Sutherland, Forel felt that Potts was the right player to move next. Potts is headed to Milwaukee, along with a handful of draft picks. In return, the Padres receive 26 year old CF Juan Quintanilla and $10,000,000. Quintanilla is an average batter who is currently holding a line of .264/.314/.454 for the Brewers. Where Quintanilla really shines, however, is out in the field. He has good speed and is an incredible defender. He may not be the fastest guy around, but he has an enormous range out in center field due to his ability to read balls off the bat. Quintanilla’s value is not in the runs he can create, but rather, in the runs that he prevents the other team from scoring.

[Sundance]

8/4/2026

MR Dave Ling has agreed to re-sign with the Padres! The 3rd overall pick in the 2021 draft has agreed to a 5 year, $9,790,000 extension. Ling quickly rose through the ranks of the organization and made his debut in 2023. At 6’4”, Ling is a downhill thrower who hovers right around 96 MPH. He’s got 2 pitches, both of which are highly effective – a sinker and a changeup. Ling prides himself on staying in fantastic shape, and the 26 year old is willing and able to throw in consecutive games. His great stamina also allows him to spot start when needed, but with only 2 pitches, these opportunities are few and far between.

8/5/2026

3B Adrian Martinez was injured in today’s game against the Angels. Martinez appeared to be in pain while running the bases, and was spotted clutching his stomach. Reports are that he suffered a strained abdominal muscle and will miss at least 4 weeks.

8/11/2026

CL Matt Laval has re-signed with the Padres! The 27 year old righty agreed to a 5 year extension worth $27,700,000. Laval is a good all around pitcher with very few holes in his game. He can bring the heat with a fastball in the 95-97 MPH range, he has 3 above average offspeed pitches (curveball, changeup, splitter), and an ok forkball. Laval’s best year came as a starter in 2024, where he went 18-5, with a 1.90 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 214 K. However, despite his success, Laval wasn’t happy in that role and moved back into the bullpen the following year. He has been less effective coming on in relief, but he remains a quality option out of the pen.

8/17/2026

LF Bernardo Orosco has been named the NL Player of the Week! Over the last 7 days, Orosco has hit .458 with 1 HR and 9 RBI.

Monthly Review

It turns out that the Padres are human after all. San Diego went an unimpressive 11-17 in the month of August. Fans and media are, of course, overreacting and calling for Syrio Forel’s head. When asked for a comment, Forel responded, “Look, we’ve had one underwhelming month that happened to coincide with some trades. It’s just growing pains. We’ve made a couple moves, and had to move a few pieces around. But this is still the best team in baseball. Wait until November before you put me up in front of the firing squad.”

The numbers back up Forel’s point. Despite a mediocre month, the Padres maintain baseball’s best record at 84-47, and although Colorado has closed the gap, they still remain 10.5 games back.

Monthly Awards

AL:

Top Batter – Wildert Pujols (.354 BA, 9 HR, 26 RBI, 21 R), White Sox
Top Pitcher – Alexander Figueredo (5-0, 2.14 ERA, 53 K), Yankees
Rookie – Chris Wright (.288 BA, 7 HR, 23 RBI, 16 R), Falcons

NL:

Top Batter – Ismael Nunez (.350 BA, 5 HR, 12 RBI, 28 R), Diamondbacks
Top Pitcher – Brandon Murray (5-0, 2.85 ERA, 43 K), Diamondbacks
Rookie – Rudy Terry (.313 BA, 7 HR, 16 RBI, 16 R), Cardinals

[Sundance]

September Call-ups:

MR Takamuku Hirai
1B Todd Morgan
SS Daniel Chene
3B Travis Maezes
RF Andy Reynolds
3B Michael Chavis
RF Mauro Conde

9/16/2026

RHP Albert Morales has announced his retirement. Morales, 35, was originally signed in 2018 as an international free agent out of Puerto Rico, but failed to make any progress up the ranks.

9/21/2026

Lake Elsinore manager Andy Cannizaro has decided to leave the organization in order to pursue other opportunities. In his 5 years with the Storm, Cannizaro led the team to four 1st place finishes and 1 championship.

Monthly Review

The Padres found themselves back on track in September. The team went 18-8 for the month. The team has broken the 100 win mark, and now stands at 102-55. The Padres have widened the gap between the 2nd place Rockies, who now sit 13 games back.

Monthly Awards

AL:

Top Batter – Sancho Berrios (.317 BA, 9 HR, 18 RBI, 22 R), Indians
Top Pitcher – Ashe Russell (4-0, 1.15 ERA, 29 K), A’s
Rookie – Jose Merced (.385 BA, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 16 R), A’s

NL:

Top Batter – Ivan Pena (.363 BA, 5 HR, 21 RBI, 17 R), Giants
Top Pitcher – Eric Confer (4-0, 2.15 ERA, 45 K), Padres
Rookie – Juan Avila (.341 BA, 7 HR, 16 RBI, 14 R), Diamondbacks

[Sundance]

The Padres finished in 1st place in the NL West with a record of 104-58. This was the second best record in the franchise’s history, behind 2023’s 110-52. San Diego got off to an early start and never looked back, as they maintained the best record in baseball for the entire duration of the season. The Padres now turn their focus to the playoffs, where they hope to win the club’s 6th championship.

[Sundance]

In the Wildcard games the Blue Jays beat out the White Sox 5-3, and the Rockies defeated the Cubs 6-3. Ouch…Sorry Chicago.

The Divisional matchups will be:

Toronto vs Detroit
Oakland vs New York
Colorado vs San Diego
Philadelphia vs Milwaukee

Toronto (2) – Detroit (3)

Game 1: Tigers 3-2
Game 2: Tigers 4-2
Game 3: Blue Jays 7-2
Game 4: Blue Jays 3-2
Game 5: Tigers 5-4

Standout Performances:

CF Ted Rodriguez, Tor (.444/.450/.500)
2B Jose Garcia, Det (.429/.467/.786)

Oakland (3) – New York (2)

Game 1: A’s 4-2
Game 2: Yankee 6-3
Game 3: Yankee 6-4
Game 4: A’s 7-3
Game 5: A’s 7-3

Standout Performances:

LF Kichibei Kobayashi, NY (.429/.455/.476)
RF Emmanuel Dot, NY (.389/.450/.611)
C Xavier Fernandez, Oak (.435/.458/.870, 3 HR, 7 RBI)
CF Mauro Granados, Oak (.400/.400/.467)
SP Zhong-Shan Men, Oak (2-0, 16 IP, 14 K, 2.25 ERA)

Colorado (1) – San Diego (3)

Game 1: Padres 2-1
Game 2: Padres 7-0
Game 3: Rockies 4-3
Game 4: Padres 15-13

Standout Performances:

3B Adrian Martinez, SD (.474/.474/.632)
RF Tim Elmore, SD (.500/.526/.833, 2 HR, 7 RBI)
SS Brendan Rodgers, SD (.412/.412/.882, 2 HR, 8 RBI)
SP Eric Confer, SD (1-0, 9 IP, 8K, 0.00 ERA)
SS Sergio Alcantara, Col (.500/.556/.563)

Philadelphia (2) – Milwaukee (3)

Game 1: Brewers 9-5
Game 2: Phillies 3-2
Game 3: Brewers 5-4
Game 4: Phillies 1-0
Game 5: Brewers 7-5

Standout Performances:

2B Juan Macias, Mil (.429/.478/.667, 5 RBI)

League Series

Oakland (2) – Detroit (4)

Game 1: Tigers 2-1
Game 2: Tigers 8-3
Game 3: Tigers 3-2
Game 4: A’s 8-1
Game 5: A’s 3-0
Game 6: Tigers 2-1

Standout Performances:

3B Dave Casey, Det (.389/.450/.778, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
SP Kyung-Chor Park, Det (2-0, 15 IP, 16 K, 1.20 ERA)
2B Jan Hernandez, Oak (.421/.478/1.000, 3 HR, 5 RBI)
SP Zhong-Shan Men, Oak (1-0, 14 IP, 12 K, 1.29 ERA)

Milwaukee (1) – San Diego (4)

Game 1: Padres 7-5
Game 2: Padres 6-2
Game 3: Brewers 4-0
Game 4: Padres 6-5
Game 5: Padres 4-3

Standout Performances:

C Jose Rodriguez, SD (.261/.292/.652, 3 HR, 7 RBI)
LF Keizo Chikafuji, Mil (.350/.381/.750, 2 HR, 5 RBI)

Championship Series

Detroit (0) – San Diego (4)

Game 1: Padres 8-3
Game 2: Padres 7-4
Game 3: Padres 4-2
Game 4: Padres 9-3

Standout Performances:

3B Adrian Martinez, SD (.353/.421/.882, 2 HR, 5 RBI)
CF Juan Quintanilla, SD (.294/.294/.706, 2 HR, 5 RBI)
C Jose Rodriguez, SD (.500/.529/.813)
1B Elroy Lechance, SD (.429/.471/.929, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
CF Ted Rodriguez, Det (.429/.467/.643)

[Sundance]

The Good

C Jose Rodriguez
.290/.405/.433, 5 Triples, 12 HR, 80 RBI, 13 SB, 4.6 WAR. The 26 year old catcher put together his best all around season this past year. Many of his numbers ended up being very similar to his 2025 season, but the major changes came in BA, OBP, and HR. Rodriguez increased his BA by 28 points, and his OBP by 36 points, but he saw his power numbers drop – going from 23 HR to just 12 this past season. Rodriguez has developed into an incredibly well-rounded offensive player and is one of the best hitters at his position. Not too shabby for a former 27th round draft pick.

3B Adrian Martinez
.283/.339/.488, 35 Doubles, 25 HR, 83 RBI, 5.1 WAR. Martinez put together an impressive campaign in his first full season with the club. The two-time Batter of the Year was a force to be reckoned with in the middle of San Diego’s lineup.

SS Brendan Rodgers
.289/.350/.455, 31 Doubles, 4 Triples, 20 HR, 73 RBI, 50 SB, 6.3 WAR. Bouncing back from an injury plagued 2025, Rodgers put together yet another incredibly solid season. Now with 10 seasons under his belt, Rodgers has shown no signs of slowing down, and the Padres couldn’t be happier about that since they have him signed through 2033.

LF Bernardo Orosco
.319/.382/.468, 31 Doubles, 14 Triples, 12 HR, 69 RBI, 72 SB, 9.3 WAR. Orosco had an absolutely monstrous year. The 24 year old led the MLB in triples, runs, and stolen bases. Orosco was also extremely impressive defensively, as he committed just 1 error the entire season.

RF Tim Elmore
.300/.351/.468, 17 HR, 66 RBI, 5.7 WAR. An impressive season by the 23 year old. Elmore was the least experienced starting OF on the Padres’ roster entering the season, and fans and media still weren’t sure what to expect out of the young man. But Elmore showed everyone his potential, as his stats improved in nearly every way. Compared to last season, his line improved by .38/.40/.45.

SP Beau Burrows
14-6, 3.04 ERA, 150 K, 4.6 WAR. Burrows’ alternating pattern of ERAs finally broke, although he very nearly got it down under 3.00. Although his strikeout numbers have been on a downward trend, Beau’s pitches maintain great movement with above average control, making him difficult to square up. Burrows surrendered just 9 HR in 2026 – which is the first time he’s held that in single digits as a starter.

SP Chris Thompson
21-7, 2.58 ERA, 173 K, 4.6 WAR. Thompson put together his finest season in 2026. The 28 year old led the MLB in ERA and Wins.

MR Robbie Erlin
2-1, 47.2 IP, 9.4 K/9. Old Man River. 2026 marked the first time in Erlin’s career in which he worked strictly out of the bullpen. There were reports that surfaced throughout the season claiming that Robbie was more than a little displeased at his new role on the team, but the 36 year old didn’t let those emotions interfere with his performance out on the field. Though his usage was somewhat limited, Erlin remained highly effective.

The Bad

CF Brad Sutherland
.212/.292/.430. The Padres finally gave up on Sutherland and traded him away at the deadline. Sutherland has an abundance of physical tools, but just can’t seem to put everything together. He played 3 games with Baltimore before suffering a season-ending concussion.

1B Elroy Lechance
After two very solid seasons in 2024 and 2025, Lechance finally fell back to earth. He did manage 26 HR and 106 RBI, which helped to mitigate his struggles, but he only held a line of .256/.293/.426 for the season. His 1.6 WAR was his lowest since becoming the fulltime starter at first.

Upcoming Contract Situations:
Eric Confer – Arb. Possible FA
Chris Thompson – FA
Jose Rodriguez – Possible Arb.
Elroy Lechance – Arb.
Adrian Martinez – FA
Bernardo Orosco – Possible Arb.
Juan Quintanilla – Possible Arb.
Luis Flores – Possible Arb.

[Sundance]

Here's how we stacked up in the NL

[Sundance]

League Batting Leaders

[Sundance]

League Pitching Leaders

[Sundance]

Great Glove Award

AL:

P Braeden Holub, Chi
C Xavier Fernandez, Oak
1B Jesus Santos, Sea
2B Brad White, Tor
3B Tomas Moreno, Bos
SS Tremaine Spears, Bal
LF Dan Flores, Cle
CF Braden Mosley, Tor
RF Michael Gettys, NY

NL:

P Juan Corona, Ind
C Hector Nava, Mil
1B Alfredo Flores, Cin
2B Yoan Moncada, SF (Former Padre)
3B Rudy Terry, STL
SS Sergio Alcantara, Col
LF Tim Elmore, SD
CF Ross Korosec, ATL
RF Hector Maldonado, Col

Rookie of the Year

AL:

Ruben Guerra, Hou

NL:

Rudy Terry, STL

Manager of the Year

AL:

Agustin Montero, Det

NL:

John Farrell, SD

Pitcher of the Year

AL:

Tyler Ivey, NY

NL:

Chris Thompson, SD

Hitter of the Year

AL:

Sergio Garcia, Chi

NL:

Bernardo Orosco, SD

[Sundance]

Chris Thompson declined arbitration and filed for free agency
Adrian Martinez declined arbitration and filed for free agency
Eric Confer - $13,750,000 (In favor of player)
Bernardo Orosco - $8,125,000 (In favor of player)
Elroy Lechance - $5,000,000 (In favor of player)
Luis Flores - $750,000 (In favor of team)

[Sundance]

The top players in the market are:

1B Hector Chavez – Chavez is a great offensive player with good power. However, he’s a liability out in the field. Last season he went .292/.378/.537, 35 HR, 99 RBI.

SP Eucebio Arias – Coming off of a great year in 2026, Arias is sure to demand a high asking price. I’m more inclined to believe that last year was just a fluke. He’s got above average pitches that are mediocre in actual game situations.

SP Jiovanni Orozco – A decent and very consistent pitcher. He’s a hard thrower (96-98 MPH), but he’s shown signs of aging, so his best days may be behind him. Still, a solid option for teams looking for a starter to fill out their rotation.

1B Justin Bellinger – A former San Diego Padre, Bellinger put together a career year last season and is looking to cash in. Consistency has always been an issue with the 31 year old, but teams looking to capture lightning in a bottle will surely take a chance on him.

SP Chris Thompson – Another player looking to cash in on a career year. Last year’s Pitcher of the Year for the Padres, Thompson’s asking price was just too high for the team to keep him. Thompson has been rather mediocre for most of his career, but he managed to put everything together last season. But is he the real deal? Or just a one and done?

3B Adrian Martinez – The player that everyone with the money will be trying to snag. Martinez is an elite offensive player with 5 All-Star selections and 2 Batter of the Year Awards under his belt. The Padres will surely regret not being able to keep a player of this caliber, but his asking price was just way too high for the penny-pinching John Moores.

LF Kichibei Kobayashi – Kobayashi is a solid all around player. He’s a decent hitter that’s a tough out, and he’s not going to kill you out in the field. He’s not quite a star, but he is a very good player.

SP Bob Jone – When he’s on, he’s flat out filthy. But the problem with Jone is that you never know when he’ll be in the zone. He’s a hard thrower with great stuff, but he just doesn’t always know where the pitch is going when he releases it. He’s accurate enough to where it won’t kill you in the long run, but he’ll blow a few games.

RF Avisail Garcia – Garcia is getting up there in age, and his skills are starting to decline. He’s a good offensive player, but no one knows for sure what player he’ll be in the upcoming season. Is he the Garcia of old? Or one that is in the twilight of his career? We’ve already seen his legs go – He’s slow as molasses and can’t cover any ground in the outfield. What will go next?

SP Jorge Sepulveda – An average starter who will probably make more than he’s worth. Good movement on his pitches, but his stuff is just average, and he’s not very accurate. He’s had a 4+ ERA in 4 consecutive seasons, but someone will be desperate enough to give him a shot.

[Sundance]

Not sure if anyone other than me reads this thread, but before I carry on, what do you guys think?

Is the content ok? Is the format ok? Anything you want to see more of? Or less of? Any suggestions?

[phillyboy19]

I read it and can u post more pls ty

[jdono927]

maybe monthly updates and a little more detail, but I like the thread overall.

[Sundance]

Thanks for the responses guys. Sorry that updates have slowed down a bit here...That time of the year for midterms and finals Have some updates on the way though!

[Sundance]

After a slow start the Padres finished Spring Training on an 11-1 run. They ended the spring with a record of 19-9, tied with the Giants for the second best in baseball. C Jose Rodriguez (.312/.427/.519), LF Tim Elmore (.342/.405/.500), and RF Bernardo Orosco (.351/.417/.595) impressed at the plate and appear to already be in top form. On the hill, Eric Confer (4-0, 0.45 ERA), Raul Barosio (2-1, 0.63 ERA), Robbie Erlin (25 IP, 1.80 ERA), Kevin Lee (24.1 IP, 1.11 ERA), Dave Ling (20 IP, 2.25 ERA), and Masamichi Okamoto (28 IP, 2.57 ERA) all looked extremely sharp.

[Sundance]

The defending champions enter the 2027 season as baseball’s top ranked team. While the general consensus is that San Diego is expected to repeat, there have been numerous doubters. Despite recent success and an increased fan base, San Diego’s budget remains that of a mid-market team, as they rank 14th in budget, and 12th in payroll. Financial constraints have prevented the club from making a big splash in the free agent market, and many doubt that the team has been able to fill the massive holes left by the departures of Martinez and Thompson in the offseason.

Despite limited funds, GM Forel did make two offseason acquisitions – 3B Kyoichi “Ramrod” Inoue and CL Suezo “Tornado” Tomita. Inoue has topnotch speed, solid defense, and is an incredibly tough out at the plate. The 23 year old will enter the season as San Diego’s starting third baseman. Tomita is a flamethrower with electric stuff. His fastball can top 101 MPH and he has a plus curveball that can buckle the knees of even the best hitters. Tomita will begin the season with the organization’s AA club.

Will San Diego be able to defend their title? Or is the window finally closing on this group of players?

[Sundance]

SP Eric Confer – A former Pitcher of the Year and a 2-time finalist, Confer enters the 2027 season with a lifetime record of 79-35 with a 2.70 ERA. The 30 year old is coming off of his “worst” year as a professional, where he went 15-6 with a 3.22 ERA, 183 K, and a 3.2 WAR. Confer remains a topnotch starter and starts the season as San Diego’s #2. His pitches have good movement and he has great control over all of them. However, scouts have noticed that some of his offspeed pitches have lost some of their bite. Trouble mixing up speeds may lead to a long year for Confer. If the Padres are to have any success, they’ll need another solid season out of the starter.

SP Bryan Hoeing – The former Rookie of the Year and 2-time Pitcher of the Year starts the 2027 season as San Diego’s ace. Entering his 10th season in the league, Hoeing can still bring the heat, hitting 99 MPH with his fastball. Hoeing keeps hitters off balance with a mix of fastballs, sinkers, splitters, and forkballs. However, the lack of a true breaking ball has made him vulnerable as of late. Hoeing is coming off of his first losing season and his second-worst ERA. If the Padres wish to repeat, they’ll need Hoeing to find a pitch that will keep hitters on their toes and prevent them from keying on a variety of fastballs.

SP Gustavo Spotelli – Spotelli might have the best stuff on what could be one of baseball’s best staffs. The 25 year old can hit 101 MPH with his fastball, and has a plus cutter, a great forkball, and a top changeup. The only knock against the starter is that he’s a flyball pitcher that has a tendency to hang pitches, meaning that he’ll get tagged more often than you’d like. For the Padres to be successful, Spotelli will have to rely on his fantastic stuff and limit his mistakes.

MR Raul Barosio – One of the best relievers in the game. Barosio has the makings of a solid starter, but prefers to come out of the pen. Fantastic stuff with great control; Barosio can make hitters look silly with one of the best changeups around. The 25 year old appeared in 66 games last season, and the Padres will need a hefty workload out of him again this year if they wish to do well.

C Jose Rodriguez – What more can be said about the former 27th round draft pick? Rodriquez has developed into one of the best offensive talents behind the plate and will look to add to his numbers this season. The Padres will be hoping for a bit more power out of the 26 year old this season, and if he can put everything together, watch out.

2B Chris McKinney – The word on the street is that McKinney’s skills are starting to decline. However, if the Padres want to succeed, they will need Chris to produce another solid season. McKinney has remained incredibly consistent over the last 5 years, and the Padres will be hoping to see much of the same this season.

SS Brendon Rodgers – The longtime face of the franchise, Rodgers has been one of the most consistent offensive players for the Padres over the last decade. Father Time may finally be catching up with the 7-time All-Star, but if the Padres want any chance at repeating, they’ll need another typical season out of Rodgers.

LF Tim Elmore – Entering last season, the Padres were still waiting to see if Elmore could perform at the top level. The club was pleasantly surprised to see the young man explode onto the scene, owning a .300/.351/.468 line with 17 HR. San Diego will hope that Elmore continues to develop as he remains one of the brightest young talents in the game.

RF Bernardo Orosco – The Padres turned Orosco loose last season and the 24 year old never looked back – racking up 72 SB and a ridiculous 9.3 WAR. Orosco has developed into the heart and soul of the Padres’ offense, and it will take another monster year out of this young man for the team to have a shot at repeating.