The San Diego Padres are battling their first real adversity of the 2025 season. After dropping three straight and losing seven of ten games, frustration is mounting in the clubhouse. But while players and coaches focus on cleaning up sloppy defense, poor base running, and inconsistent pitching, there’s a bigger, longer-term question hanging over this team: Will ownership turmoil prevent the Padres from fixing their problems at the trade deadline—or beyond?
On-Field Struggles Meet Off-Field Uncertainty
Manager Mike Shildt has stressed that effort isn’t the issue. Players are battling a brutal injury wave that has sidelined multiple starters, and veterans like Fernando Tatis Jr. preach patience. Still, cracks are showing. Uncharacteristic mistakes—botched pop-ups, errant throws, reckless baserunning—have cost the Padres winnable games.
Fans are noticing and have expressed their displeasure on social media, where Xander Bogaerts, one of the most expensive acquisitions, has been the central target. The Padres did start the season hot, even being at the top of the division for a little bit. But, they have fallen from grace quickly with the players they currently have.
Usually, a team with postseason aspirations could turn to the trade market for reinforcements. But the Padres’ ownership situation complicates everything.
A bitter legal battle among the heirs of late chairman Peter Seidler has created significant financial uncertainty. The Padres, once willing to outspend everyone but the Dodgers and Mets, have shifted into austerity mode. Their offseason was notably quiet. They didn’t sign a single major-league free agent until January. They missed out on Roki Sasaki, a transformational pitching prospect, reportedly partly due to concerns about instability and the absence of Japanese-style toilets.
With the season slipping toward dangerous territory, the question looms: Is there money—or leadership—left to make the aggressive moves San Diego might need?
Can the Padres Still Be Buyers at the Deadline?
Historically, the Padres were among MLB’s most aggressive midseason buyers, adding stars like Juan Soto, Josh Hader, and Tanner Scott. But that was under a different ownership dynamic—one that no longer exists.
San Diego may be stuck this summer between payroll cuts and court battles. Even if AJ Preller wants to be aggressive at the deadline, it’s unclear if ownership would approve taking on more salary. And given how thin their farm system has become after years of all-in trades, their prospect currency is weaker, too.
In short, the Padres may not have the money or minor-league talent to seriously upgrade their roster midseason.
A Tough Road Ahead for a Proud Franchise
The Padres’ recent rough stretch feels manageable in a vacuum. Teams slump, players get hurt, and good clubs recover. But layered on top of ownership chaos and financial handcuffs, the margin for error shrinks dramatically.
It’s clear the players still believe. Shildt is keeping the clubhouse positive. Tatis, Machado, and the rest are saying the right things. But resolve can only carry you so far if reinforcements aren’t coming.
Without a clear front office mandate or ownership stability, San Diego risks wasting another year of its prime core—and sliding even further behind division powers like the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.
The Padres aren’t just battling a rough patch on the field. They’re fighting a far more dangerous opponent off it: uncertainty.
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Padres’ Rough Patch Could Be a Sign of Bigger Problems Ahead