The National League Division Series was a dogfight until the Los Angeles Dodgers ultimately claimed the series. However, many players on the San Diego Padres still believe their team could have won the World Series.
After losing Game 1, the Padres won back-to-back games. San Diego dominated Los Angeles by eight runs in Game 2 and were able to maintain a lead despite outfielder Teoscar Hernández’s grand slam that put the Dodgers down by one in Game 3.
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But then the Dodgers responded with back-to-back victories to win the series in Game 5. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ bullpen strategy held the Padres scoreless in both games — and for the final 24 innings of the series.
“I mean, it stinks,” Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts said to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “We had a really good chance. A great chance. I thought we were a better team. We just didn’t win.”
The Dodgers prevailed through the postseason to win the World Series and have since completed a dominant MLB offseason.
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Meanwhile, the Padres have lost multiple key pieces from their 2024 postseason roster, including outfielder Jurickson Profar, third baseman Donovan Solano, and catcher Kyle Higashioka.
Adding salt to the wound of the postseason, San Diego “lost” two superstar pitchers to the Dodgers this offseason. Reliever Tanner Scott signed a four-year deal with Los Angeles, while Japanese-born free agent starting pitcher Roki Sasaki chose to begin his MLB career with the Dodgers.
Due to the Padres’ limited spending budget, San Diego struggled to make major moves this offseason.
The team may be forced to trade top MLB talent to cut some payroll. Reliever Robert Suarez and starting pitchers Dylan Cease and Michael King have been rumored as potential options.
Despite the obstacles San Diego has faced since losing the NLDS, the Padres have acquired some free agents. Starting pitcher Nick Pivetta, former Dodgers outfielder Jason Heyward, and utility man Connor Joe will be impactful additions in 2025.
The Padres may not be equipped with the same roster as they were in 2024, but their hunger for redemption may be their driving force for another postseason run.
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Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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