WEST SACRAMENTO -- After losing twice in Chicago over the weekend, the Padres' red-hot start to the 2025 season is no longer unprecedented. They've been 9-2 before -- twice, in fact.
In 1984 and '98.
Both times, they went on to win the National League pennant.
The Padres wouldn¡¯t mind keeping that trend alive. They¡¯re 9-2 again -- following a tense 5-4 victory over the A's at Sutter Health Park on Monday night. Jake Cronenworth and Fernando Tatis Jr. both went deep, and right-hander Michael King worked 5 2/3 solid innings.
In the process, the Padres moved into first place in the National League West for the first time this season. The division itself is off to a record-breaking start to the year, with similarly torrid starts from the Giants and Dodgers. But both lost on Monday, as the Padres assumed their place at the top.
¡°Everybody knows this is the best division in baseball,¡± Tatis said. ¡°These teams are showing it.¡±
Of course, the season is less than two weeks old, and a start like this one guarantees nothing.
The more salient point is this: The Padres started last season slowly. They ended it by posting the best record in baseball during the second half. But they spent the spring talking about playing that brand of baseball across the entire season.
¡°Credit goes to the players,¡± said manager Mike Shildt. ¡°They were really dedicated to winning their offseasons. We did that, came to Spring Training, got a lot of quality work in during Spring Training. Now the season starts, and the group¡¯s ready.¡±
In nearly every facet, the Padres are clicking. They¡¯ve won with the long ball and with small ball. They¡¯ve pitched their way to a 2.88 team ERA with a lights-out bullpen. Their baserunning and defense has been flawless.
Add it all up, and it equals the best start in franchise history -- the start the Padres envisioned all along.
¡°It was all we were talking about in Spring Training,¡± Tatis said. ¡°All credit to our manager and the coaches that push us. And then, all credit to the boys to actually do the job, to come out of the gate with attitude.¡±
Tatis sure has. The Padres made the decision to insert him into the leadoff spot late in spring. He has since posted a .381/.449/.548 slash line, with five steals and two home runs.
The second of those home runs came on Monday -- a towering, majestic blast deep into the night. It carried over the building in left field that houses the A¡¯s clubhouse. Afterward, Tatis learned the projected distance of his homer was 406 feet. He thought he¡¯d been short-changed.
¡°That¡¯s cap,¡± he said. ¡°Straight cap.¡±
Whatever the distance, Tatis is obviously capable of hitting the ball very hard and very far. But the driving force behind his start to the 2025 season has been his plate discipline.
Tatis has more walks (six) than strikeouts (five). Entering play Monday, he had a 24.7% chase rate. That mark would be the lowest of his career.
¡°He¡¯s getting his pitches,¡± Shildt said. ¡°He¡¯s using the whole field, not doing too much. He¡¯s taking his walks. If Fernando Tatis takes his walks and manages the strike zone like he¡¯s doing now, you¡¯re going to continue to see what you¡¯re seeing now -- and that¡¯s elite offensive capability.¡±
Tatis¡¯ home run put San Diego on top by two in the seventh and would ultimately prove decisive. The Padres raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first on Cronenworth¡¯s two-run drive, and King turned in an outing he felt was maybe better than his line (5 2/3 innings, three runs). At least, given the way his stuff felt, he thought it could¡¯ve been better.
King was victorious nonetheless, pitching the Padres to the top of the NL West.
¡°I know we expected to be here,¡± King said. ¡°Obviously, everybody else expected the Dodgers to be here. And the Giants are playing really well, and they¡¯re hot.
¡°So I think everybody came in saying the NL West was going to be the toughest division in baseball. At least to start it¡¯s definitely proven that. I know the Diamondbacks are going to be right there come the end of the year.¡±
An eventful summer awaits in the division the Padres have dubbed the toughest in baseball. On April 7, they¡¯re at the top. It¡¯s early, sure. But historically speaking, a start like this one bodes well for where they might finish.