Printer-friendly version
Screenshot from official MLB video of a Ramón Laureano home run during Wednesday's 11-1 Padres win in San Francisco
By Karen Pearlman
Aug. 13, 2025 (San Diego) – Don’t look now but the San Diego Padres are back in first place in the National League West.
After a mid-season slump, the Padres (69-52) have rediscovered their winning form and are making a strong push for the postseason.
The Friars have gone 17-8 since the All-Star break, have won eight of their last 10 games, are on a five-game winning streak, and are now a full game ahead of the arch rival Los Angeles Dodgers (68-53) for the NL West lead.
The Padres are currently on the road, just finishing a three-game series sweep against league foe San Francisco with an 11-1 win on Wednesday. The team will head down to Los Angeles for a crucial three-game weekend series against the Dodgers starting Friday, Aug. 15.
Next week, the Pads return home to Petco Park for an important homestand, starting with a four-game series against the Giants Aug. 18-21 (including a Michael King Bobblehead giveaway for the first 40,000 fans on Aug. 20), followed by a three-game series vs. the Dodgers from Aug. 22-24.
The Padres' recent success is a stark contrast to their struggles earlier in the year. After a hot start to the season (7-0) and then reeling off multiple winning streaks on the way to a 14-3 start and a 19-11 record in March and April, the team went through a tough stretch, with their offense struggling to produce runs.
Just as quickly as they surged, the Padres hit a wall.
In May, the Padres dragged with a six-game losing streak that dropped their record to 27-21. Key players slumped and the bullpen started to crack. The team’s struggles continued into June and July, with more losing streaks of three or more games.
The Padres’ early-season magic seemed to have faded, and fans were left wondering about the team’s ability to contend.
But the Padres have turned things around in a big way since the All-Star Break.
The recent success is a testament to the Padres’ improved play on both sides of the ball. On offense, key players like third baseman Manny Machado and right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. have been leading the charge.
Machado, who is flirting with a .300 batting average, has a .359 on-base percentage, and is leading the team with 20 home runs and 72 RBI; and Tatis Jr., who has 17 home runs and 24 stolen bases with a .266 batting average and a .366 on-base percentage
Outfielder/first baseman Gavin Sheets, a new addition to the Padres this season, has also provided significant offensive production, and with 15 home runs has already surpassed his HR total from last season (10 with the Chicago White Sox). Sheets also has an on-base percentage of .313.
The team also made some important additions at the trade deadline, bringing in players like Ryan O’Hearn (first baseman/designated hitter) and Ramón Laureano (outfielder) from the Baltimore Orioles, both of whom have provided a much-needed spark to the lineup.
Pitching-wide, right-hander Nick Pivetta, is 12-4 with a 2.87 earned run average, and 144 strikeouts in 141 1/3 innings pitched.
King, who has been on the injured list with a nerve issue in his right shoulder and missed nearly three months of the season, has also been a key for the Padres when he’s been healthy. King, also a righty, is 4-2 with an ERA of 2.81. He has 65 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched.
Right-hander Robert Suarez has been a dominant closer for the Padres, racking up 33 saves this season. Suarez is 4-4 with a 3.22 ERA, and has 51 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings pitched.
Recent comments