The Padres’ season turned on a dramatic dime, and Monday’s All-MLB nominations underscored just how many pieces drove that turnaround. San Diego, which looked stuck in the mud in July and headed for a disappointing finish under first-year manager Craig Stammen, is now preparing to host the Chicago Cubs in a Wild Card series after surging all the way to the No. 4 seed in the National League.
Seven Padres made the All-MLB nominee list, a haul that reflects both the club’s late-season charge and the range of impact players who powered it.
Mason Miller sits at the top of that group, and for good reason. The closer was one of the most dominant pitchers in the sport this season, opening with an unreal scoreless streak before closing out the regular season with a 5-2 record, a 1.67 ERA and 38 saves. He also piled up 129 strikeouts in 70 innings, the kind of production that made him impossible to ignore.
Michael King earned recognition for his work in the rotation after signing a three-year, $75 million deal with San Diego when it seemed he might land elsewhere in free agency. The Padres got exactly what they hoped for and then some.
Adrian Morejon also made the list after turning in a big year out of the bullpen. Fernando Tatis Jr. even told AJ Preller during the celebration that Morejon should be paid in a hilarious clip, and the numbers back up the sentiment.
Morejon finished 9-3 with a 2.83 ERA across 76 appearances, most often working as the setup man for Miller. The Padres reportedly turned down a trade offer from the New York Yankees for Morejon at the deadline, and that call looks smart in hindsight.
Tatis himself was one of the nominees after shaking off a slow start that had some around the club wondering whether San Diego should move him. He did not homer until late May, but he still wrapped up the season with a .289 average, 25 home runs, 83 RBI and 38 stolen bases.
Manny Machado joined him after a cold opening gave way to a strong finish. Machado ended the year with a team-high 30 home runs and a team-high 91 RBI.
Jackson Merrill rounded out the group of big bats, and his season followed a familiar pattern for this lineup: a rough start, then a surge. Merrill posted a .254 average with 26 home runs and 87 RBI, added 27 stolen bases and supplied sensational defense in the outfield.
Ty France may have been the most surprising name of all. Signed to a minor league deal with a training camp invite, he not only made the Opening Day roster but also built a case as the Padres’ most valuable player. France hit .295 with 21 home runs and 72 RBI in 133 games, delivering clutch moments even when San Diego’s star trio was still trying to get rolling.
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Craig Counsell's Game 1 Pitching Choice Says Everything About This Series
Craig Counsells first move for the Wild Card Series was a familiar one, with Matthew Boyd getting the ball for Game 1 against the Padres. It is the kind of assignment Boyd has handled before, and it fits the way the Cubs have leaned on him in recent October runs, making him one of the more trusted names in a short series where every pitching decision carries extra weight.
For San Diego, the matchup sets up immediately around right-hander Michael King, while Counsell also made clear that Kevin Gausman will be part of the pitching mix before the series is over. The combination points to a fast-moving, heavily managed matchup in which both clubs are trying to shape the early innings to their advantage, and the rest of the rotation picture still leaves plenty for the Padres to sort through as the series opens. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Just Gave The Cubs A Wild-Card Twist To Worry About
The Padres set their 26-man roster for the upcoming wild-card series against the Cubs, and the group comes with a few wrinkles that could matter right away in October. San Diego is carrying 15 position players and 11 pitchers, and the mix suggests a club trying to maximize flexibility for a short series while making sure it has enough depth to navigate matchup-heavy innings.
Joe Musgrove is back on the roster after missing the 2025 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and the right-hander is expected to work out of the bullpen after last pitching in the 2024 wild-card round. The Padres also opted to carry three catchers, while adding Andujar and Sheets and leaving Sung-Mun Song, Wandy Peralta and Randy Vasquez off the list, a set of choices that gives the Cubs a little more to sort through as the series gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Wild Card Roster Sends A Clear Message To The Padres
The Cubs have set their 26-man roster for the Wild Card Series against the Padres, and the list offers a pretty clear look at how Chicago wants to attack the matchup. With 12 pitchers included, the club leaned into pitching depth while also making room for late-season acquisition Gabriel Arias, a sign that the roster was shaped as much by fit as by pure production.
Just as notable are the names left out, with Caleb Thielbar absent and Justin Steele still on rehab. Manager Craig Counsells approach points to a roster built around defense and long-term health, which can tell you plenty about how the Cubs see the series ahead. For the Padres, it is a reminder that the opponent across from them is choosing balance and flexibility, even if it means leaving a few recognizable pieces behind. [Read more 🡒]