MLB writer’s prediction sends Robert Suárez to Padres’ NL West rival

The beginning of the offseason has not gone the way the Padres would like, as Dylan Cease signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

While this in itself already seems bad, this is only the first of many dominoes to fall over the next month or so. The Padres are set to see Luis Arráez, Ryan O’Hearn, Michael King, and Robert Suarez depart in what should be a full-on exodus in San Diego.

New MLB prediction has Robert Suárez bolstering Padres’ NL West rival

The Padres will retain their core four in Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado, and Jackson Merrill, as well as their elite bullpen. However, the supporting cast around them will take a massive hit.

To add insult to injury, Robert Suárez, the elite closer who took San Diego by storm, is on the eye of not just a division rival, but the most hated team in MLB.

While a biased source, Dodgers Nation projects Suárez to make the journey north on Interstate-5 and sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. But the truth is that this would make total sense, as even The Athletic hinted at the 34-year-old signing with the back-to-back World Series champions.

The L.A. bullpen was a massive disappointment in 2025, with their big signing in Tanner Scott seeing a huge decline in production. The pen also saw a ton of injuries, such as Blake Treinen, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech, and Ben Casparius.

Adding Suárez would give the team a more sure-fire reliever to rely on in high-leverage situations, joining Alex Vesia, Anthony Banda, and newcomer Edgardo Henriquez in the back-end.

If it becomes a reality, it would be a devastating situation for A.J. Preller and the front office, as they would lose one of the most reliable relievers in the game to their division rival. But in the end, it’s all speculation, and we will learn more about how credible these rumors are down the line.