San Diego Padres: 2025 season review

The Padres ended with a final record of 90 wins and 72 losses, making it their sixth-best season in franchise history. The 2025 season began with a historic start, with the team going 13-3 through their first 16 games, tying a franchise record. The pitching staff suffered injuries, with core players like Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish and Michael King missing time, but they were anchored by their superb bullpen and offseason signing Nick Pivetta. Their offense was led by Manny Machado, Luis Arraez, Fernando Tatis Jr. and trade deadline acquisition Ramón Laureano. 

Nathan Claywell (10), a longtime baseball fan and player, shared one of his favorite moments from the season.

“Clinching the [playoffs], Freddy Fermin hit a single up the middle into center field, and we scored the game-winning run to walk it off, to go to the Wild Card,” Claywell said.

Noah Lee (10), another devoted Padres fan, had a memorable experience when he went to Petco Park to cheer on a game.

“It was really fun,” Lee said. “[The Padres] hit four home runs.”

The season ended last Thursday, as they dropped the final game of the best-of-three Wild Card Series to the Chicago Cubs. 

The game was close all the way, as the Padres used a total of seven pitchers who allowed just three runs. However, their offense could not get started, as they left eight men on base and went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position. The Padres stirred up some action in the final inning, with a home run from Jackson Merrill and hit-by-pitches to Bryce Johnson and Ryan O’Hearn. However, their efforts proved insufficient, as the game ended with a final score of 3-1.

 Colton Sallaway (10) expressed his dissatisfaction, as he had expected more from the Padres.

“[It was] disappointing,” Sallaway said. “I feel sad because they lost and they should have won after going 13-1 for their first 14 games. I felt disappointed that the players could not perform better in the playoffs.”

The way the season ended mirrored last year’s end, where the Padres’ offense allowed a Dodgers comeback in the National League Division Series.

“We kind of had a huge letdown,” Brian Bodas, one of the school’s Biology and AP Environmental Science teachers, said. “Kind of like when we were playing the Dodgers in the previous year … for whatever reason, we couldn’t score.”

Bodas believes that the Padres were capable of winning, but could not tap into their potential.

“I was hoping we could at least get through the Cubs and give it a shot,” Bodas said. “I think a lot of it was based on our starting pitching struggles, and I think that kind of sealed our fate … I think we have a lot of skill and experience, but it just did not work out, and our offense was not as good as it could be either … I wish we would have gone to at least one more round of the playoffs.”

Nevertheless, fans still look back fondly on the 2025 season. 

“I think we did good,” Claywell said. “We had a good regular season. Our pitching was on top, our hitting was good [and] we had all the players come back.”

The Padres are more than just a sports team. They are a central part of San Diego’s identity.

Bodas appreciates the inclusivity of the environment at Petco Park, which caters to all different types of people, encouraging all to come and watch games. 

“I think there’s an energy about it,” Bodas said. “I think the best thing about the Padres is they encompass a number of different people in a huge kind of diversity in demographics and it kind of brings the city together.”

Sallaway also reflected on the impact the Padres have on the city.

“They bring an atmosphere like no other to a city that needs this team,” Sallaway said.

Attending Padres games is a way to have fun and connect with others. 

“I thought the experience at Petco Park was very exciting,” Claywell said. “The crowd was very hyped for the game. I thought the players made it fun and engaging, and the food was also very good, especially the steak tacos.”

Bodas also loves attending games.

“I’ve been to Petco [Park] many times,” Bodas said. “[It is] probably one of the best places to watch a baseball game. Every seat in Petco is good. The concessions are fantastic and they have a lot of giveaways.”

With this year’s season in the books, Padres fans at the school set their sights on 2026. 

“Hopefully, we get some better bats in the lineup,” Claywell said. “I think we need to make some trades. I think pitching is good and we could keep the same guys.”

Bodas shared his hopes as well.

“I’m looking to [see] the diversity of the talent we bring,” Bodas said. “I’d like to see starting pitching stabilized, hopefully [Jason Adam] can come back. I’m excited about [Mason] Miller. Miller has unreal stuff; his strikeout percentages, one of the highest in the league. So I’m excited about what Mason Miller can do next year.”

With nearly 60 years of Padres history, watching them play brings back childhood memories.

“The first time, it was very exciting,” Claywell said. “I learned so many [things], I learned all the players, and I had a very great experience. Now I’m 16 and I still go to the games at least once a year.”