Padres’ Jeremiah Estrada has been elite in 2025 outside of pesky Dodgers

Jeremiah Estrada has been one of the key pieces that has bolstered the best bullpen in the league, dominating opposing hitters with his high-octane fastball that reaches 99 mph and a splitter that batters are hitting only .119 against. Estrada has been the perfect guy for the sixth inning to set up Jason Adam or Mason Miller for the seventh and eighth innings, followed by Robert Suarez for the ninth.

While he has been a vital piece of the five-headed monster in the bullpen, there is one team that has been the right-hander’s kryptonite. In eight games against the Dodgers this season, Estrada has pitched a total of 6.1 innings, allowing 13 earned runs and posting an ERA of 18.47.

The home run ball has especially been an issue for Estrada against the Dodgers, as he has allowed five over this stretch of games. There were three instances where Estrada folding under pressure has proven to be the difference.

Dodgers alarmingly have Padres' Jeremiah Estrada number this season

On June 17, Estrada entered a tie game in the sixth inning, then proceeded to allow five earned runs and was chased from the game without recording an out. San Diego went on to lose that one, 8–2.

On August 15, he allowed a solo homer to Teoscar Hernández in the seventh inning, which gave LA a two-run lead, in a game that ended up being a one-run loss.

On August 24, the Padres were going for a series sweep of the Dodgers, which would have put them two games up in the NL West standings. Estrada hung a slider over the plate to Dalton Rushing which found the seats in right field, giving the Dodgers a 5–2 lead in the sixth, and powering them to an 8–2 win.

Against every other team, Estrada has been flat-out dominant. In 52.2 innings of work, he has an ERA of 1.38 and has been one of Mike Shildt’s most reliable guys out of the bullpen. It’s just a matter of getting over the hump when it comes to facing the Dodgers.