Padres face mounting pressure from D-backs, Giants with latest news, rumors

The NL West isn’t waiting for the Padres to feel comfortable.

While San Diego’s offseason has felt like a long, deliberate pause — the “let the market settle” approach, two teams directly in their lane are hitting the gas.

First: Arizona. The Diamondbacks just went and acquired Nolan Arenado from the Cardinals. That’s an eight-time All-Star nameplate getting dropped into the exact spot where everyone assumed Arizona was about to clear runway for the kids. 

Padres face a frustrating NL West squeeze as Diamondbacks, Giants turn up the heat

Here’s why it’s weird — and annoying, if you’re watching it from San Diego.

The D-backs spent months sounding like they might dial things back. They traded Eugenio Suárez at the trade deadline, and the logic was simple: create space, unclog the infield, and finally give Jordan Lawlar the long look he’s been waiting for.

Instead? Lawlar is now expected to get center field reps in spring training as Arizona tries to force his bat into the lineup from a totally different angle. So now, Arizona isn’t just “adding Arenado.” They are essentially saying that they’ll rearrange the entire board if that’s what it takes to keep upgrading.

Then you look north and it gets even louder.

Jeff Passan reported the Giants are pushing hard for a second baseman, with names like the Cubs’ Nico Hoerner and the Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan in the mix. If San Francisco pulls that off, it’s not hard to see that they’re building an infield that turns routine grounders into outs and turns average lineups into miserable matchups.

Jan. 13 is a temporary L for the Padres, not because the season’s over, but because the division is sending a message: this is not going to slow down while you decide to be patient.

The Padres can absolutely justify waiting if the plan is to pounce on value — a trade that clears money, a short-term starter, or a bat that falls conveniently in your lap. But “waiting” only works if your roster is already loud enough to survive the arms race. When Arizona is importing Arenado and the Giants are openly shopping for a missing piece, San Diego doesn’t get the luxury of standing still for long.