The San Diego Padres are on the verge of clinching a spot in the postseason.
There are still a handful of questions the franchise is facing heading into contention, but some projections are showing the Padres making a surprisingly deep run this year.
MLB Insiders Reveal Bold Predictions They’re Hearing Across the League
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the boldest prediction he’s heard from an MLB executive is, “The Padres are going to win the World Series for the first time in their history, with just about everything trending in the right direction.”
He added, “The Padres’ starting pitching is the team’s biggest concern, but as the Dodgers demonstrated in 2024, you can win with three or four functional starters who are backed by a deep bullpen.”
Currently second in the National League West at 88-70 overall, the Padres are in a solid position heading into the postseason.
Drawing a comparison to Los Angeles in 2024 isn’t too far out there — their dominant bullpen has carried much of the weight during their surge in the second half of the season.
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers Points to Padres’ Promising Outcome
Not only is Passan hinting at what could soon be a deep run for San Diego, but so is Jesse Rogers of ESPN.
Per Rogers, he’s been hearing insiders tab the Padres as one of the most dangerous teams in October.
“As easy as it would be to pick an AL team to make a surprising run simply because the draw there is softer, experts like the Padres as a dangerous lower-seeded team,” he said.
“They have a good playoff formula now that the rotation has some help and the lineup is hitting for power. In fact, San Diego leads MLB in home runs in September. And of course, they have that vaunted bullpen.”
Simply put, their bullpen has been their driving force this season. However, their offense has been heating up at the plate.
Combine these two elements, and San Diego is gearing up to be a team to beat in the major leagues this fall.
Now, FanGraphs’ latest MLB Playoff Odds only give the Padres a 3.0% chance of winning the World Series, as opposed to the Dodgers’ 31.1% chance.
FanGraphs calculates these odds by using the current standings, remaining schedule and projected performances. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for a surprise factor.
At this point, the postseason picture is becoming clearer each passing game.
However, if San Diego’s bold predictions come to fruition, this could be the year they win it all.
San Diego Padres’ Postseason Run Garners Major Buzz From Insiders