The San Diego Padres could not be more ready to silence the doubters in 2025.
A slow start to the offseason gave reasons to doubt, but a 93-win ball club that came within two runs of knocking out the eventual World Series champions in the NLDS doesn’t need a rebuild, but rather a modest tune up.
This tune up was anything but modest as the Padres look like a whole new sports car with Opening Day right around the corner.
A rebuffed pitching rotation, key veterans acquired to fill in obvious gaps, and not to mention all the existing talent from the season prior has certainly made the baseball world take notice. ESPN’s MLB insider David Schoenfield has noticed whats going on in San Diego as he predicted three Padres earn All-Star honors for the upcoming campaign.
Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. were named as reserves for the National League squad as Dylan Cease was also theorized to get the honor.
Merrill makes an obvious case to return to the All-Star Game as the center fielder ended 2024 with 24 home runs, 90 RBIs, and a WAR of 4.4. His .292/.326/.500 slash line with an OPS of .826 sounds even better when reminded that he is only turning 22 years old in April.
Tatis, on the other hand, looks to return to the All-Star Game as well, but aims to put up even better numbers as he will hopefully not be battling a stress fracture in his femur again. His 2024 totals were still quite impressive with 21 home runs and 49 RBIs through 102 games.
Cease put up All-Star-like numbers last season, but if he continues his 2024 play, looks to be a lock to get the selection in 2025.
Last year’s 3.47 ERA was his best since 2022 over a career-high 189.1 innings pitched. He added 224 strikeouts to only 65 walks, putting up a WAR of 4.2.
Whether this trio earns the midseason honor or not, fans can expect that they keep up their All-Star-like play as a new year is soon to begin.