Matt Higgins
For the fourth time in the last six seasons, the San Diego Padres will be playing postseason baseball as they hope to capture their first World Series championship in franchise history. The Padres have an incredibly slim shot to host the Wild Card as they are two games behind the Chicago Cubs for the No. 4 seed with three games left to play. They need it because they are five games under .500 on the road. That’s just one of the issues facing the Padres. Here are four more reasons why the Padres will have to wait at least another year to win their first World Series.
Power Shortage Could Doom October Dreams
There’s been a power outage in San Diego. After hitting 190 home runs in 2024 — which was tied for tenth-best in baseball — the Padres rank 28th in long balls this year at 147 with three games left in the regular season. Only two players — Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) and Manny Machado (26) — have more than 20 home runs on the season. Gavin Sheets is currently third on the team with 19. Jackson Merrill’s home run total dropped from 24 his rookie season to 16 this year. Jake Cronenworth also saw a dip (17 to 11) while $280 million bust Xander Bogaerts has just 10. Without a hot bat or two to ride in the postseason, it could be a quick exit for the Padres.
Can Jackson Merrill Rebound?
Merrill hasn’t had the same success in his sophomore campaign after being named an All-Star, winning a Silver Slugger award and finishing second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2024. He’s been on the injured list three times this year: a right hamstring strain in April, a concussion in June and a left ankle sprain with a bone bruise in August, limiting him to 112 games going into the final series of the regular season. The Padres will need Merrill at his best for them to have any chance of advancing deep into October.
Ramon Laureano Injury
The Padres will be without one of their best right-handed hitters during the Wild Card round due to a fractured finger. San Diego acquired outfielder Ramon Laureano from the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline and he quickly provided instant offense, hitting nine home runs, nine doubles and two triples in 50 games, while posting an OPS of .812 and OPS+ of 122. If San Diego is able to advance, there’s no timetable for Laureano’s return, which puts a major dent in the Padres’ offensive depth.
Who Can Be Trusted In Rotation After Nick Pivetta?
The Padres have critical questions about their rotation beyond Nick Pivetta. Dylan Cease has been inconsistent this season. In 32 starts, he is 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA while surrendering a career-worst 21 home runs. Michael King has been limited to just 14 starts in 2025 after going on the injured list twice: first with a nerve injury in his pitching shoulder and then left knee inflammation. And Yu Darvish has struggled after missing the first half of the season with right elbow inflammation, posting a 5.51 ERA in 14 starts. With Pivetta unable to start every game, they need more production from their rotation to make a deep postseason run.
