Padres Named Real Threat to Dethrone Dodgers in NL West By 2 Insiders

After the San Diego Padres pulled off a blockbuster trade deadline, the Friars have been named real threats to the reigning World Series champion’s top spot in the division.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have won the National League West title in 11 of the last 12 seasons. The Padres kicked it into high gear for the second half of the 2024 season and nearly defeated the Dodgers in the NL Division Series.

The Dodgers ultimately came back to beat the Padres and end their postseason run, igniting a fire the Friars have not let dim this season. Now, San Diego is three games behind Los Angeles for first place in the division and have added several reinforcements to their roster at the deadline.

MLB insiders Alden Gonzalez and Jesse Rogers believe the Padres have a real chance to dethrone the Dodgers in the division, especially after their trade deadline moves.

Rogers pointed out how San Diego improved the areas they needed to. They got left fielder Ramón Laureano from the Baltimore Orioles, upgraded their catcher with Freddy Fermin from the Kansas City Royals and bolstered their bullpen with All-Star closer Mason Miller from the Athletics.

Gonzalez discussed how the Dodgers are complacent with their current roster and believe they still have not played their best baseball. Los Angeles traded for outfielder Alex Call from the Washington Nationals and reliever Brock Stewart from the Minnesota Twins.

But the Dodgers did not get any players that are expected to make a big impact down the road like Tommy Edman and Michael Kopech did last postseason. 

Meanwhile, the Padres took big risks to build a roster that can win this season. San Diego sacrificed their No. 1 overall prospect Leo De Vries for Miller and recently-optioned reliever JP Sears.

Trading De Vries may be a painful reminder of all the top prospects the Padres traded for an underwhelming season-and-a-half of Juan Soto in 2022. But the risk of trading De Vries could pay off for the Padres in the long run.

Since the trade deadline, San Diego won their series against the St. Louis Cardinals and are tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks heading into the series finale on Wednesday night.

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