3 Padres in the thick of awards races (and 1 deserves a big contract extension)

As the Padres head into their final couple of games in May, they stand at 31-23. That is good enough for second in the National League West - only two games behind the billion-dollar Dodgers. They benefited from a hot start, and have maintained a steady pace since then.

Their record has largely been the product of a deep bullpen and offense, as well as a rotation that has performed well above expectations. Leading the charge, though, are three catalysts for the Friars. These three have been amongst the best player in their role not just in San Diego, but across the entire league. The dog days of summer are where real awards candidates separate themselves from those just having hot starts, and these three are leading the charge in Southern California.

Robert Suarez

The Padres' bullpen has been one of the best in the majors, even with some shaky performances as of late. In 24 games, Robert Suarez has earned an MLB best 17 saves. If we remove one performance against the Angels where he could not buy a strike and allowed five runs, the 2.35 ERA he holds in 2025 drops to 0.40. Needless to say, the 34-year-old has been amongst the best relievers in baseball.

Suarez has to be on any shortlist of candidates to win the Trevor Hoffman Award, given to the best reliever in the National League. The further removed he gets from that disastrous outing against the Angels, the lower his ERA drops. If he can finish the 2025 season with a sub-2.00 ERA, he'll find himself with a great chance at winning the award. If he can maintain the current pace he's held with saves, he'll finish with 51 on the season. That would tie him with Mark Melancon (2016) and Juerys Familia (2015) for the most saves by a National League pitcher since Eric Gagne's outrageous 2003 season.

Of all the awards races the Padres' players may find themselves in, Saurez may be the best bet to bring some hardward home at the end of the 2025 season.