SAN DIEGO -- At Petco Park, they couldn’t quite believe it. Gavin Sheets, a non-roster invitee to Padres Spring Training, had just driven in his fourth run of the night with his third hit -- all three of them scorched off the bat of the hulking 28-year-old slugger.
Through five games, Sheets has a 1.390 OPS. His emergence has been emblematic of the Padres’ red-hot start to the 2025 season in which contributions have poured in from everywhere on the 26-man roster.
“Ho-ly Sheets,” chanted the Petco Park crowd, with Sheets standing on second base.
Indeed, with their 7-2 victory over the Guardians on Monday night, the Padres are 5-0 for the first time in franchise history.
“It’s a good ballclub, off to a good start, clearly, playing really good baseball across the board,” said manager Mike Shildt.
Only once had the Padres started a season with four consecutive victories. They went on to win the 1984 National League pennant. But in 57 years of the franchise’s existence, San Diego had never been 5-0.
Until 2025.
Left-hander Kyle Hart notched his first career win in his Padres debut, working five innings of two-run ball. In doing so, he made his long-awaited return to the big leagues, after breaking through amid the unprecedented circumstances of the 2020 season.
“I’ve waited a long time for that beer shower right there,” Hart said. “[It’s] just thrilling. It’s awesome, too, that it’s on the heels of four consecutive wins. Obviously, the last time that this organization did that, we won the pennant.
“It’s been an unbelievable start. … Just keep it rolling.”
And are the Padres ever rolling. They fell behind in the first inning on Monday night on José Ramírez’s solo home run. It was the first time they had trailed since the seventh inning on Opening Day.
No matter. San Diego responded with a four-run second, sparked by Jackson Merrill’s 109 mph laser-beam of a leadoff single (on Jackson Merrill bobblehead night, no less). Sheets, a member of the 121-loss White Sox last season, stepped up two batters later with the bases loaded and nobody out. He ripped a two-run double, and the Padres didn’t look back.
“It's beautiful," said Fernando Tatis Jr., who famously made the move from the White Sox organization to the Padres once upon a time. “We need to bring in more players from the South Side, you know? Happy for him. He made really good adjustments in Spring Training. He came with a mission.”
Tatis tallied a pair of hits, as well, and Manny Machado went 3-for-5. The bullpen continued its early season dominance, too, lowering its collective ERA to 0.45. On their way to 5-0, the Padres have gotten contributions from superstars and role players alike.
“There’s a lot of obstacles we’re still going to have to overcome,” Machado said. “But it’s definitely a good start, for sure.”
The first of its kind in franchise history, in fact. And it won’t be the only 57-year wait the Padres are looking to end this season.