Padres’ slump reaches new low as Orioles dominate in sweep against ex-teammates

No one should try telling the San Diego Padres that the Baltimore Orioles have nothing left to play for. Teams sitting outside the playoff picture often become the most dangerous ones. With no October pressure hanging over them, they play loose, they play hungry, and they play like every at-bat could change their future. For prospects, it’s a chance to flash potential. For fringe big leaguers, it’s an audition, an opportunity to fight for a roster spot, earn a contract extension, or at the very least, secure a spring training invite for next season. Pride fuels it all.

That’s exactly the kind of group the Orioles have become in 2025. A roster still anchored by solid core talent, but now mixed with rising prospects and castoffs reshuffled from other organizations. On paper, it’s a team with little at stake. In reality, it’s a thorn in the side of contenders — and this week, the Padres found out the hard way. Despite acquiring two of Baltimore’s most productive veterans at the deadline in Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano, San Diego ran straight into an Orioles club intent on being pesky and not coasting through September.

Padres crash hard as Orioles deliver sweep in deadline revenge series

Baltimore didn’t just beat San Diego on Wednesday, they made a statement. The Orioles tagged Nestor Cortes for three consecutive home runs in the third inning, as Colton Cowser, Coby Mayo, and Alex Jackson all went deep in succession. Jackson’s blast chased Cortes, who had already surrendered a leadoff shot to Jackson Holliday in the first. By the time the Padres blinked, they were staring at a 7-0 deficit and another early exit from a supposed trade-deadline stabilizer. San Diego clawed back to make the score respectable, but the damage was long done. Baltimore closed out a 7-5 win to complete the sweep — and in the process, exposed a glaring weakness the Padres can’t seem to shake.

That weakness, of course, is the rotation. Outside of Nick Pivetta, San Diego has no clear ace to lean on right now. Dylan Cease has been maddeningly inconsistent, Yu Darvish remains unpredictable from start to start, and Cortes has yet to deliver the reliability he was brought in to provide. What was supposed to be a postseason-ready staff looks shaky at best. And with All-Star reliever Jason Adam now done for the season, the one area that felt like a rock, the bullpen, suddenly has a couple questions to answer as well. A unit trusted to shorten games just lost one of its most important weapons, leaving more cracks to cover at the worst possible time.

The Padres look ahead to taking on the Rockies who’ve already lost 100 games this season. It should be a “get right” series in Colorado, but the Padres should know that they can’t take any opponents lightly while they continue to chase down the Dodgers in the NL West. 

More San Diego Padres News and Rumors