3 San Diego Padres moves that worked out better than expected in 2025

When you imagine the Padres’ roster, you think of the big bats like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill, while also thinking about elite pitchers such as Michael King and Dylan Cease. Obviously, these players have had their fair share of contributions to the ball club in 2025, and are large reasons why the Padres are poised for a playoff run. But there have been additions that haven’t gotten as much attention, some having been even better seasons than some of the household names.

Padres turned out better than expected thanks to Nick Pivetta, Freddy Fermin, David Morgan

The Padres signed 32-year-old Nick Pivetta to a four-year deal worth $55 million over the offseason, filling a need for starting pitching. Expected to be the fourth man in the rotation, Pivetta has been pitching like an ace all season long. In 158.1 innings of work, the right-hander has posted an ERA of 2.90 with a sub-one WHIP. On top of good numbers, Pivetta ranks in the top percentage of pitcher run value. He has been the hands down the best pitcher on that staff, and one of the best value signings in all of baseball. An overall excellent find by A.J. Preller and his team.

Ahead of the trade deadline, San Diego has unarguably the worst catching tandem in the league in Elías Díaz and Martín Maldonado. This prompted the front office to make the trade for Freddy Fermín with Kansas City. The 30-year-old got off to a hot start with his new team, batting .318 in his first 13 games. While Fermín is now batting only .246, this is much better production than what the team had originally. 

With the Padres rumored to be interested in Adley Rutschman over the offseason, you can only imagine what the catching tandem would look like in 2026. Having Fermín and Rutschman on the roster together could make San Diego a world series favorite.

While he was already on the roster, it is justifiable to give David Morgan, a rookie reliever, his flowers. In 39.2 innings of work, Morgan has been the unsung hero of the bullpen, posting an ERA of 2.95 with excellent command of his pitch arsenal. Getting called up from Triple-A back in May, the 25-year-old right-hander has provided a positive presence in the front end of the bullpen. David Morgan could easily be a setup man on many MLB rosters. However, due to San Diego’s depth at the position, he is usually one of the first guys out of the bullpen. But his work doesn’t go unnoticed, as his solid performance thus far has given other relievers such as Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon, and Jason Adam the chance to rest up in between games.