It was right there for the taking.
The San Diego Padres arrived in the 2024 NLDS with MLB’s hottest bat in Fernando Tatis Jr., not to mention a stacked lineup and enough pitching to realistically take down the dynasty forming before our eyes in LA.
A 2-1 series lead put the Padres in control of their own fate. Another win, and San Diego would’ve had all the momentum needed for a potential World Series run. Then the offense collapsed, the Dodgers tightened the screws, and San Diego’s Cinderella season went up in flames.
Now the future is murkier than ever. An ongoing ownership dispute puts San Diego’s finances under immense strain. Rather than spending like the days of yore, is left to manage a ballooning cap sheet with minimal support.
There has been a longstanding belief that either Dylan Cease or Michael King will get traded before the 2025 season kicks off. Both were spectacular last season, but Cease in particular feels like a ticking time bomb. He’s about to get the bag in free agency. The Padres just can’t afford to keep all their top assets.
What’s keeping Cease and King in the building? A lack of alternative options. The Padres were oft-reported frontrunners for Roki Sasaki, who might’ve pushed Cease out the door upon his arrival. When Sasaki inked a contract with LA, however, it put the Cease buzz on hold.
The latest free agent pitcher connected to San Diego, however, might be the missing piece who frees up the Padres’ front office for a long-gestating sacrifice atop the rotation.
