Padres catcher Freddy Fermin proves their trade deadline deal was a win-win

The San Diego Padres have spent much of the 2025 season looking for the missing piece to transform a talented roster into a complete contender. For months, the club leaned heavily on its star power while patching holes around them. But the one glaring weakness was always behind the plate. Martín Maldonado and Eliaz Díaz had filled the position with inconsistent at-bats despite serviceable gloves, leaving the Padres with a black hole in their lineup just when they needed stability the most. That’s why the front office took a swing at the deadline, and why the gamble has already paid off in October-caliber fashion.

What unfolded on Monday, September 23, at Petco Park couldn’t have been written better for Padres fans. An extra-innings game with the Milwaukee Brewers, a postseason berth hanging in the balance, and all of it came down to Freddy Fermin, the man brought in from Kansas City to fix the very problem that had haunted San Diego for the 2025 season. His walk-off single in the 11th inning sent Bryce Johnson home, and the Padres officially into the postseason. 

Padres catcher Freddy Fermin delivers walk-off as trade deadline deal pays off

Fermin’s heroics did more than just clinch October baseball. They also tightened the NL West race, pulling the Padres within 2.5 games of the idle Los Angeles Dodgers with five to play, while simultaneously creeping within 2.5 games of the Chicago Cubs for the top wild-card spot. In short, his bat didn’t just win a game — it reignited San Diego’s late-season chances of catching their rivals. 

The trade that brought Fermin to San Diego looks even more balanced when considering both sides. At the trade deadline, the Padres sent right-handed pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for the 30-year-old catcher. Kansas City got exactly what it needed in return: pitching depth for a rotation littered with injuries. Kolek has been brilliant with a 1.67 ERA across four starts, and while Bergert is now sidelined with a right elbow strain, he flashed promise before the injury with eight starts under his belt. Royals fans see a pair of arms they can build around; Padres fans see a catcher who just delivered one of the defining moments of the season.

Since arriving in San Diego, he’s slashed .277/.308/.384 with two home runs and 14 RBIs over 37 games, good for a 1.2 WAR. A level of production exceeds what the Padres had been getting.

Both clubs got what they needed, making this one of the rare trades that really does feel like a win-win. But in San Diego, with Petco Park still buzzing from Monday night’s walk-off, there’s no question who feels like the biggest winner right now.

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