Ranking Padres’ top opponents for the rest of the 2025 regular season

As the final two weeks of the regular season commence, the Padres sit 2.5 games behind the LA Dodgers in the race for the NL West division pennant. However, since the Dodgers own the tiebreaker, it effectively counts as a three-game deficit instead. 

The good news for the Padres is that the remaining schedule softens considerably down the line, with three of their four opponents sitting on the bubble or worse. The Dodgers, on the other hand, have their work cut out for them, facing two current division leaders mixed with two teams on the fringe of the Wild Card race.

Below, we rank the four opponents from easiest to hardest and leave a prediction of how each series will play out to close out the regular season.

4. White Sox

You don’t even need to think twice to put them as the easiest opponent left on the schedule. 2025 has been yet another year to forget, as they sit as the second-worst team in all of MLB. While it has been nice to see what they have in a few young players, such as Kyle Teel and Colson Montgomery, that doesn’t change the fact that they are not a competitive team. The Padres outmatch them in every position, except at catcher. There is absolutely no reason for them not to leave the South Side without a sweep.

Result: Padres Sweep

3. Mets

While looking at rosters, the Mets definitely have the best out of the four. But with the way the team has looked over the past month-plus, I think the Padres are facing them at the right time. If they looked the way they did at the end of May, I would have different thoughts. It is clear that this team is stumbling across the finish line, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they stumbled short and missed the playoffs. While it won’t be a sweep, I can see either team winning this series; so it’s a coin toss for this one.

Result: Padres lose 2/3

2. Diamondbacks

From being sellers at the deadline to getting hot at the right time and having a shot at the Wild Card, this matchup, it turns out, will actually be competitive, as both teams are looking to punch their ticket to October. While that was always the expectation for San Diego, it wasn’t the same for Arizona, as they traded away all their players on contract years. But this team caught fire in the month of August, and is riding the hot hand into the late weeks of September. Similar to the Mets series, I can see either team taking two of three.

Result: Padres take 2/3

1. Brewers

The second-to-last series of the regular season for San Diego comes against the best team in all of baseball. I would not be shocked in the slightest if any of the four outcomes happened, as both teams are pretty evenly matched. However, with seeding being an issue for the Padres, I think that they have a little more at stake. Milwaukee almost has the No. 1 seed completely locked up, and it very well could be clinched by the time the two teams play.

Result: Padres take 2/3 

I see San Diego rolling into the postseason winning 8 of 12 games, and while it won’t be enough to win them the division, they will ride into the postseason red-hot.