MLB Insider Reveals Change Padres Must Make to Remain in Contention

The San Diego Padres are one of the best teams in Major League Baseball. But the question remains: Can the Friars sustain this level of success with their current roster?

The Padres were linked to trade rumors all offseason as payroll restrictions kept San Diego from making any landmark deals this winter. Many insiders believed the team would make a blockbuster trade involving one or both of their star pitchers, Michael King and Dylan Cease, in order to shed payroll.

However, no such trade transpired. The Padres need both King and Cease in the rotation in order to find success in October.

The Padres pitching staff has been phenomenal thus far in 2025, but ESPN's Bradford Doolittle believes their statistics are not maintainable in the second half of the year.

"The Padres are off to a great start, largely on the strength of a bullpen that has been off the charts," Doolittle writes. "The relievers have racked up 14 saves (they've blown only one) and 27 holds while compiling a collective 1.73 ERA. Those numbers are both unbelievable and unsustainable. When some regression sets in, a top-heavy lineup will need to get production from spots like catcher (21st in OPS) and left field (27th) to offset the difference. We kind of knew this was how the Padres were constructed, but still -- San Diego has given too many plate appearances to too many players in what we'll call the post-productive phases of their careers."

The Padres lineup features one of the best hitters in baseball in Fernando Tatis Jr. who is hitting .319 with eight home runs and 19 RBIs. He has a .936 OPS and 2.5 WAR this season.

While the top of the order is strong, the bottom of the lineup has struggled to keep up. President of baseball operations A.J. Preller will likely be active at the deadline in order to improve the lineup.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.