San Diego Padres Are a Real Threat To Win the World Series
The Los Angeles Dodgers may have received all of the National League preseason hype, but it’s another Southern California team that is ending the season by generating some serious consideration as an October contender.
After a season of missed opportunities last year, the San Diego Padres have seemingly found their footing under first-year manager Mike Shildt.
In 2023, a mixture of All-Star talent on the mound and in the lineup couldn’t find the right chemistry, with the Padres struggling through August to a 10-18 record on their way to an 82-80 full-season record and just missing the postseason.
This year, however, the Padres (with a 99.4 percent chance to make the postseason entering play on Wednesday, per FanGraphs) have the look of a team that not only wants to make amends for its stumbles last season but also carve out its own identity.
Plenty of key players have been added to the team since that 2023 fumble. Jackson Merrill is making his case for National League Rookie of the Year and has become the late-lineup bat that can keep the offense moving.
Luis Arraez, acquired from the Miami Marlins in early May, has brought a batting style to San Diego that is reminiscent of Mr. Padre himself, Tony Gwynn.
Dylan Cease, brought over from the Chicago White Sox in a spring training trade, has solidified the top of the rotation. He wrote his name in San Diego record books with the franchise’s second-ever no-hitter in late July.
