On Friar, A San Diego Sportswrap Podcast

Mike Shildt made what he viewed as an easy call and it backfired in the finale against the Mets. Once again the Padres dropped a road series against a playoff caliber team. Will they be able to flip the script in October? This year September feels way different from last. We consider the playoff picture. Manny, Merrill and Tatis have shown life. Michael King had the worst outing of his career. Mason Miller is incredible. The guys look ahead to the final nine games.

The Padres are spinning their wheels. After a promising couple games in Colorado they returned home and dropped their series against the Reds. The lineup isn't producing, the rotation and bullpen are spotty, Manny Machado looks worn down and they're losing ground in the playoff race. Fortunately Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill have perked up over the last week. How concerned are we? The guys discuss.

Even Mike Shildt and the Padres can admit - things aren't great right now. Eno Sarris of The Athletic returns to the pod to share his thoughts on the club's struggles. Starters have been unreliable. Was one particular deadline deal a mistake? Tatis and Machado homered, but what's to blame for their dips in production? Mason Miller threw an immaculate inning! What are realistic expectations for this team? And what should give us hope for the home stretch?

It was an entertaining series in Seattle. But it was not a good few days for the Padres. After a pair of losses and a Dodgers sweep, San Diego is now looking up at Los Angeles again. The guys assess their division hopes and the Wild Card outlook. It was not a good few days for Padres starters. Michael King should be back soon. Fernando Tatis Jr. finally homered again. Ramon Laureano moved up in the lineup with Luis Arraez out, will it stay that way? Are changes coming? Winnable games are ahead.

Just like last week the Padres coasted to three straight wins over the Giants. Derek lets us know what the guys had to say after Thursday's series finale. Will that momentum carry into their series against the Dodgers this time? Fans have been wanting more Ryan O'Hearn, and he proved his value to Mike Shildt's lineup. Fernando Tatis Jr.'s power is still missing, did a recent story reveal the cause? Will the starters show up this time against L.A.? What will this final meeting with the Dodgers determine about the division race? Plus an injury update on Jackson Merrill.

The Padres haven't been in first place this late in the season in 15 years! They pummeled Bob Melvin's old club to reach the top spot in the NL West. Now first place will truly be on the line this weekend at Dodger Stadium. Mike Shildt's club has that second half look again. Pitching has been lights out and everyone in the lineup is doing damage. Derek and Darnay size up the division rivals, and how different they look heading into this series compared to what we saw earlier in the year. Is Dave Roberts gonna try to stir something up again? What Padres do we expect to stand out? Can Derek guess the 2010 lineup from the last time San Diego was alone in first at this point? And Thursday brought bad news for one scheduled starter.

A.J. Preller made a bunch of moves last week, and they have paid off right away. Laureano has been raking, O'Hearn got in the lineup and went deep, and Mason Miller showed his incredible stuff Wednesday. Plus, Nestor Cortes made his debut and JP Sears had a bumpy first appearance. Meanwhile, Xander is looking like Xander and the Padres are winning games they may not have a month ago. As a result, they are in striking distance of the Dodgers.

A.J. Preller is a mad man. We'll figure out the future when it comes, for now the focus is on 2025 and the pursuit of a World Series. Hello Mason Miller, goodbye Leo De Vries. Dylan Cease and Robert Suarez are still Padres. Ryan O'Hearn and Ramon Laureano bolster the lineup. Plus Fermin, Wagner and Cortes! Wow, that was wild. Derek and Darnay discuss, and pass along what Preller had to say to reporters about his deadline haul.

We're still waiting for the first move, but rumors are picking up around the Padres. Darnay checks in with Jon & Jim to see how they're feeling a week out from the MLB Trade Deadline. Is a Dylan Cease trade a given? What about Robert Suarez? Jake Cronenworth? Is Sandy Alcantara a real possibility? What about Steven Kwan? How could the deadline and the months that follow impact A.J. Preller's future? And will the rest of the season look more like 2024 or 2021?

The All-Star break is winding down and the second half is nearly here. Derek and Darnay share their thoughts on this week's festivities before diving into some second half predictions. Who will shine? Who will slump? What will A.J. Preller do at the deadline? And will it all add up to a season as exciting as the last, or as discouraging as 2023?

How would you grade the Padres after the first half? And how are we feeling about the outlook for the coming months? Who better to ask than former Friar Greg Garcia? What would he tell Jackson Merrill during his slump? He discusses Manny Machado's pursuit of history and Fernando Tatis Jr.'s missing power. And how important is it to start the second half on a strong note? Derek and Darnay also talk about Dylan Cease's struggles, the catcher conundrum and a couple rumors that have gained traction.  

The Padres continue to spin their wheels, heading into the final homestand of the first half. With four weeks to go until the Trade Deadline, both Derek and Darnay have the same idea for the Friars. Is it time to move on from Dylan Cease? Robert Suarez? A swap of catchers makes a ton of sense, maybe involving a former fan favorite (or two?). Plus, Xander Bogaerts continues to produce. Manny is an All-Star starter. And Fernando Tatis Jr. is still floundering.

The Padres won back-to-back series to finish .500 over a 26 game in 27 day stretch. Perfectly mid feels about right! Mike Shildt loves his team even more after the last our weeks, Derek and Darnay assess the stretch. Shildt toyed with the lineup. Xander Bogaerts is dinged up, while Michael King and Yu Darvish are making progress. Plus, some thoughts on potential trade targets as the deadline approaches.

The Padres have gotten reacquainted with the Dodgers and it's not too hard to see what separates the two clubs. Darnay chats with SI's Ryan Phillips about the big picture takeaways from the teams' meetings, before diving into the numbers. There are some stats that tell the story of this up-and-down Friars' campaign. They highlight a promising, up inconsistent pitching staff as well as a lineup that lacks depth. Manny is once again carrying the team, while Xander Bogaerts can't get it going. Some numbers are good, some are bad, and others are baffling. But they all help explain why the Padres are where they are.

Advantage Dodgers in 2025's first installment of baseball's best rivalry. One blowout win was sandwiched between a pair of disappointing losses. What did we learn from their first meeting of the season? Is anyone clicking besides Manny? What's wrong with the lineup right now? It's time to make some deals - the guys speculate about a few bats, and Derek says bullpen additions could make sense. Who knows when we'll see Michael King again? And things could go sideways fast for the Padres if they don't get clicking.

Fresh off a split in San Francisco that was either frustrating or fortuitous, Darnay welcomes Annie Heilbrunn to the pod! How should we feel about the Giants series? Should we be concerned or hopeful about the team finding ways to win? Manny is raking. Tatis has signs of life. Xander and Arraez are dinged up. A series with the Dodgers is finally around the corner. Darnay asks Annie about a more affable Mike Shildt, and the key to asking good questions and getting useful answers.

The Padres had a successful week to build some momentum heading into what should be their most difficult month of the season.  The On Friar Podcast hosts break down the looming gauntlet and discuss the health of the pitching staff … including the chances it will soon include Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who is suddenly the subject of trade rumors because of social media.

The Padres just had one of their worst weeks in a long time. Back-to-back sweeps, which included one of the ugliest performances you'll see. Gavin Sheets nearly saved them against the Jays. Manny hasn't looked like himself and Tatis looks defeated. Luis Arraez is confusing. The guys discuss the damage, wonder about shaking up the lineup and are getting worried about Yu Darvish.

After a surprising stumble on Monday the Padres showed resilience with a couple big swings leading to a series win over the Halos. Fernando Tatis Jr. continues to have a special season. Xander Bogaerts has had big moments, even if the numbers leave something to be desired. Manny Machado is in a groove. Jackson Merrill is doing everything. And Yu Darvish is getting closer! Heidi Watney joins Derek for her thoughts on the club.

A series of plot twists resulted in a lost series in New York. Jackson Merrill hit the ground running in his return. Unfortunately the bullpen faltered the last two nights in New York. Derek and Darnay discuss the highs and lows against the Yankees. Fernando Tatis Jr.is slumping for the first time in 2025, and he's searching for answers. Dylan Cease went from no-hit bid to an injury exit. And Jake Cronenworth is on his way back.