San Diego Padres Shock MLB With Blockbuster Trade—What It Means for the 2025 Season

LOS ANGELES — The San Diego Padres’ roller-coaster road trip tilted the wrong way again Tuesday night as an 8-6 defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers exposed both bullpen cracks and lineup missed chances, tightening an already furious National League West race. A five-run Dodger sixth turned a 3-3 deadlock into an 8-3 hole the Friars could not fully escape despite Trenton Brooks’ first big-league homer and a late three-run surge. San Diego stranded nine runners, including the tying run at second in the eighth, underscoring an offense that has flickered between explosive and exasperating all month. Key takeaways for Padres fans and fantasy managers • Bullpen fatigue is real High-leverage right-hander Jeremiah Estrada, who entered with a 1.54 ERA, failed to record an out while giving up four hits and a walk. Manager Mike Shildt has leaned on Estrada, Yuki Matsui and Robert Suárez for multi-inning bursts during Yu Darvish’s absence; Tuesday suggested the wear is showing. • Tatis heating up at the top Fernando Tatis Jr. reached base three times and scored twice. Over his last seven games the right fielder owns a .452 OBP with five extra-base hits, quieting talk of a prolonged slump and making him a DFS must-start this week. • Rookie watch: Trenton Brooks With Jackson Merrill (concussion IL) sidelined, Brooks has seized his first MLB opportunity. His opposite-field shot off Michael Kopech traveled 413 feet and registered 109 mph off the bat, evidence that his Pacific Coast League power is translating. Rotation reinforcements on the horizon Club officials confirmed veteran ace Yu Darvish completed a 45-pitch bullpen Tuesday and remains on target for an early-July activation after missing the season’s first three months with elbow inflammation. A successful sim game this weekend at Petco Park would clear the final hurdle. Darvish’s return could push rookie Randy Vásquez to long relief and ease strain on a staff ranked 12th in MLB in innings per start. Machado, Tatis headline All-Star push Major League Baseball released its first ballot update Monday, and Manny Machado leads NL third basemen by more than 400,000 votes while Tatis sits third among outfielders. Fans can vote through June 29; a strong Petco homestand against the Rockies and Braves could cement both superstars in the starting lineup for the midsummer classic at Globe Life Field. NL West snapshot Team    W-L  GB Dodgers   45-28 — Padres    41-33 4.5 Giants    39-35 6.5 Diamondbacks 36-38 9.5 Rockies    25-49 20.5 San Diego’s 21-15 divisional record has kept the club within striking distance, but an 0-4 mark vs. Los Angeles since June 12 looms large. The clubs meet just three more times before September, magnifying every intra-division series. What’s next The Padres close the three-game set tonight with Dylan Cease (6-3, 2.87) facing Shohei Ohtani (making his second start since returning to the mound). First pitch is 7:10 p.m. PT on Padres TV and 97.3 The Fan. After an off-day, San Diego returns home for six against Colorado and Atlanta—a chance to fatten the win column before another daunting trip to Milwaukee and San Francisco. SEO keys: San Diego Padres news, Padres vs Dodgers recap, Yu Darvish injury update, Fernando Tatis hot streak, Manny Machado All-Star voting, NL West standings, Petco Park homestand, 2025 MLB season.