San Diego Padres: 3 bold predictions around second-half trades, statistics and more

San Diego Padres second bold prediction: Blake Snell finishes the season with 14-plus wins

One of the additions over the offseason by the Padres was adding Wacha in free agency to a starting rotation that had Blake Snell, Yu Darvish, and Joe Musgrove. Wacha has been as they hoped he would be, but an injury cut his first half short.

The numbers for most Padres pitchers don't look good, but it is not an indication of how they have pitched. One of those pitchers is Snell and he closed out the first half strong. In his last nine starts, he left-hander has allowed just four runs, and his best performance he saved for the final one against the New York Mets.

In a 3-1 win on Saturday night, Snell struck out 11 and allowed just one hit over six innings in what could have been considered a must-win to close out the first half. When they have needed it, Snell has delivered. San Diego hopes it's a sign of things to come.

“Really good first half,” Snell said. “Got to put it together in the second half. Happy to build it sooner -- it means the offseason I had worked.”

If the Padres are going to get to the playoffs, they will need Snell to continue his late dominance in the first half. His run started when the Friars signed catcher Gary Sanchez as a free agent in late May and he became a staple behind the plate. He is currently 6-7 with a 2.85 ERA and there is no reason to see why his run can't continue. Getting eight more wins over the final two and a half months is reachable for the former Tampa Bay Rays hurler.