The San Diego Padres are putting together a strong season with a 27-20 record and currently sit in third place, just 2.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, despite their solid performance, several concerns remain that could hinder their full potential—most notably, the underperformance of certain players. Three members of the roster, in particular, have drawn the ire of Padres fans due to their disappointing play and need to step up if the team is to succeed.
As the Padres continue to improve, their chances of contending for a World Series title rise. Still, they’ve yet to truly hit their stride and have suffered some significant setbacks, including a recent 14-0 blowout loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. While standout players like Manny Machado have remained productive, others have failed to deliver. The pitching staff, once a dominant force, no longer strikes the same level of fear in opponents.
The roster boasts top-tier talent like Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arraez, Machado, and promising rookie Jackson Merrill. Yet, it also includes underperforming hitters and a pitching corps that, while ranked 10th in the league, has noticeable vulnerabilities. These issues have frustrated fans—particularly when it comes to three specific players whose improvement is crucial to maintaining support and driving the team forward.
Xander Bogaerts must find his hitting stroke
When the Padres handed Xander Bogaerts a massive contract, they expected to land one of baseball’s elite hitters. At the time, that seemed like a safe bet — Bogaerts was coming off a season in which he hit .307 with 15 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 84 runs scored. While his 2023 numbers were in the same ballpark, there were noticeable signs of decline that raised concerns.
That downturn became more pronounced in 2024. Battling injuries, Bogaerts managed a .264 average with 11 home runs, 44 RBIs, and 50 runs in 111 games. The team largely attributed the dip in performance to his health issues, hoping they were the root cause. But the slump didn’t end there — it’s persisted into this season.
Through 47 games in 2025, Bogaerts is hitting just .242 with three home runs, 20 RBIs, and 20 runs scored. Once a dominant force who hit .309 with 33 homers, 117 RBIs, and 110 runs for the Red Sox in 2019, he now appears far removed from that level of production. His ongoing struggles — even with the advantage of hitting behind stars like Tatis, Arraez, Machado, and Merrill — have frustrated Padres fans, as he’s failed to provide the impact they once counted on.
Dylan Cease struggles with his pitches
Dylan Cease is in the final year of his contract, and the Padres might choose not to bring him back. Unfortunately, his inconsistent performance this season could prompt the team to consider trading him. After posting a solid 14-11 record with a 3.47 ERA last year, Cease has struggled to replicate that success in 2025.
So far, he holds a 1-3 record with a 4.50 ERA over 10 starts. Although he’s delivered three consecutive quality outings, he’s still working to bounce back from a rough start to the season. A significant factor in his inflated ERA is an April game against the Athletics, in which he gave up nine earned runs in just four innings. Excluding that outing, his ERA would be a more respectable 3.49.
Despite that one disastrous game, Cease has shown signs of improvement. Still, Padres fans remain uneasy about his consistency over a full season. To regain trust and stability, Cease needs to limit the costly mistakes he makes over the heart of the plate.
Wandy Peralta has faltered in the pen
The Padres’ bullpen has struggled with consistency this season. While closer Robert Suarez has continued to be a dominant and reliable force, other relievers haven’t fared as well. One of those is Wandy Peralta, who has yet to find his rhythm in San Diego.
Peralta’s performance this year has been rocky—he holds a 2-0 record but with a 5.30 ERA across 20 outings. That’s a drop-off from last season, when he went 3-2 with a 3.99 ERA over 46 appearances. The question now is whether he can bounce back.
As a left-handed specialist, Peralta typically leans on his sinker and changeup to generate ground balls and disrupt hitters’ timing. However, there have been outings—such as a rough one against the Yankees where he gave up six earned runs and a grand slam—where that approach hasn’t worked.
Still, there are reasons for optimism. Before the 2024 season, Peralta had put together three consecutive seasons with an ERA under 3.00. Though he’s been in the majors since 2016, he remains capable of strong performances when he maintains control and command of his pitches. But when he fails to locate, especially leaving pitches over the heart of the plate, the results can be disastrous.
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