3 Padres who are key to a series win against Marlins

The Padres have largely been a .500 baseball team since their hot start to the 2025 season. After taking two of three from the Atlanta Braves over the weekend, the Padres will need these three players to be at their best if the Padres hope to achieve their first sweep since May 4th.

1. Stephen Kolek

After bursting onto the scene in historic fashion with his shutout against the Colorado Rockies, Stephen Kolek has largely been an exceptional starter for the Padres. And while his ERA for the season sits at 2.86, his last two starts have seen him give up eight earned runs over 11 innings pitched.

With Yu Darvish on his way back to the Padres soon, every start matters for Kolek even more. While there is the option to pivot to a six-man rotation when their ace returns, the Padres could also move Kolek to the bullpen or the minors if he continues to have poorer starts. Tuesday night offers a massive get-right game for Kolek as he faces an incredibly thin Marlins offense. A solid start could cement Kolek's place in the rotation while also providing the Padres with a potential series win as they attempt a sweep to maintain pace in the National League West.

2. Fernando Tatis Jr.

The Padres' superstar outfielder has been transcendent for most of this season, already accumulating 2.8 WAR (per Baseball Reference). Against the Braves over the weekend, however, Tatis went 2-12 without recording a single walk and striking out four times. It was likely his worst series of the season, and he will be a key part in the Padres' attempt at a sweep this week.

Everything is working in Tatis' favor for a huge bounceback. The Padres return to Petco Park for this series, where Tatis Jr. has slashed .337/.402/.632 this season with eight home runs. Essentially one of the best hitters in the MLB at home, Tatis Jr. is also facing off against a Marlins rotation that ranks 27th in MLB.

All signs point to Tatis Jr. simply going through a poor stretch against the Braves. He's been exceptional this season, winning games with both home runs and hustle, and the Marlins offer an incredible chance for him to re-enter the National League MVP conversation.

3. Robert Suarez

Since his abysmal outing against the Los Angeles Angels, Robert Suarez has once again returned to his status as one of the elite closers in the MLB. He has had four straight appearances without allowing an earned run and added two saves against the Braves to bring his season total to an MLB-best 17.

Simply put, Suarez needs to continue this dominance against the Marlins. While he did pitch twice over the weekend, it is easy to imagine a scenario where Suarez is needed in at least two of the games against the Marlins if the Padres aim for a sweep. It would also be nice to see his strikeout numbers rise back up, as he has only struck out three batters in his past four outings.

While the Padres will need their entire clubhouse firing on all cylinders if they wish to sweep the Marlins, these three players are all incredibly integral to the Padres success, as well as having personal needs to show their best stuff in this series.