Examining the current depth of the San Diego Padres bullpen
Credit: AP Photo
Here is a look at the San Diego Padres 2025 bullpen.
The San Diego Padres possessed one of the most dominating bullpens in the league in 2024.
The arrival of Tanner Scott, Jason Adam, and Bryan Hoeing solidified the group at the trade deal last July.
Scott is now pitching for the Dodgers after signing a four-year/$72 million deal this winter.
The loss of Scott is tough, as he may have been the best relief option down the stretch last season for the Padres. Thankfully, he is the only pitcher removed from last year’s group for the Friars. The strength of the Padres still lies in the bullpen, but rumors are swirling that San Diego is taking offers on closer Robert Suarez.
Suarez is due $10 million in 2025 and holds two player options at $8 million for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
The Padres are trying to shed salary, and Suarez may be the victim of their cost-cutting moves.
If the team were to lose Suarez, there is still a reason to be confident in this group. The Padres do have several options in the ninth inning besides Suarez. Here is a look at the unit as we head into spring training in Peoria. Games start in the coming weeks; with that, we will better understand how this group is pitching. And more importantly, where they will start the 2025 season.
The right-hander saved 36 games last year in his first season in the closer role. Suarez struggled a bit down the stretch as the league seemed to focus on his fastball, which he threw the majority of the time. The closer reaches triple digits with the heater, but it doesn’t have a lot of movement, and there are fears that Suarez’s numbers will get worse in 2025. The Padres may be wise to move him now, but we will see what A.J. Preller does.
Adam owns 24 career saves in the majors and could help fill in if Suarez were to be traded. He saved four games last year for Tampa before the Padres acquired him in July. The 33-year-old is under control for the next two seasons and owns a career 2.87 ERA in the majors. With 10.7 K’s per nine innings and a career 3.68 FIP, Adam has the stuff to continue to get batters out in the 9th. The Padres may rely on him heavily in 2025, even if Suarez remains on the roster.
The native Californian came out of seemingly nowhere last season to be one of the most valuable pitchers on the roster. His high-riding fastball and unique split-change-up baffled the league in 2025. At 26, Estrada may be the team’s closer of the future. He certainly has the strikeout ability, as he K’d 13 consecutive batters last year. The righty was slightly inconsistent last year, as he recorded a 7.15 ERA in June and a 6.52 ERA in August. Those two months were alarming, except for the fact he was dominant every other month, including a 0.84 ERA in September and October to close the season.
At one point, it looked as though this right-hander would get an opportunity to start in 2025. The Padres set the record straight earlier this month as Hoeing will be left in the bullpen. He put up a 1.52 ERA last season after the Padres acquired him from Miami. His 2.18 ERA for the 2024 season came solely as a reliever, so the Padres are probably wise to keep him in the role. Hoeing will be used in high-leverage situations in 2025 and possibly as a long reliever, depending on what the whole pitching staff looks like.
This talented lefty recorded his best season in the majors in 2024 as a reliever. Morejon put up a 2.83 ERA in 60 games and 63.2 innings pitched. He struck out 71 batters in that time and remained healthy the whole time. The Padres will keep him in that role moving forward, though he has started games in the past for San Diego. The Padres have two more years of control over Morejon and will utilize him in high-leverage situations. He provides a high 90s fastball with a few offspeed selections and is equally successful against right-handed and left-handed hitters.
The Padres envisioned more from Yuki Matsui when they handed him a five-year/$28 million deal last winter. He was successful in stretches last year but ended the season with a 3.73 ERA in 64 games and 62.2 innings pitched. Lefties actually performed better against him last season, which seemed strange for a southpaw with a tight slider and 236 career saves in Japan. His numbers were not horrible, but the Padres have four more years with Matsui. They need better production in 2025.
Another bullpen option is this left-handed pitcher. Peralta struggled in 2024 for the Padres, putting up a 3.99 ERA last year and battling injuries. San Diego signed him last winter for four years and $16.5 million. This is another veteran arm that needs to produce in 2025. The Padres wish they could find a team to take on his salary, but they might be forced to attach a prospect to Peralta in an effort to trade him and save some money. Preller is savvy and will explore all angles as the Padres attempt to save money.
The Padres purchased this young arm from the White Sox in the winter, and he will serve as depth. Marinaccio does have one minor league option left, so the Padres may elect to start him in El Paso. The 29-year-old put up a 3.86 ERA last year for the Yankees at the major league level. The Sox claimed him off waivers, and the Padres acquired him from Chicago. Marinaccio has three years of service time with the Yankees and owns a career 3.22 ERA in 114.2 innings pitched out of the bullpen.
The native of Redondo Beach struck out 21 batters in 11 innings pitched last season in his major league debut. The power-throwing right-hander put up a 0.82 ERA and a 0.98 FIP in nine games and 11 innings pitched. He walked five in that time and will battle control issues occasionally, but Reynolds is poised to be a massive help to the bullpen in 2025. Acquired from the Marlins in 2023, Reynolds has always had a high ceiling. The Padres may have a good one here if he can refine his command.
This lefty may be used in the starting staff. He could also be a 6th-man or long-reliever for the Padres in 2025. Hart pitched in Korea last season, where he won the equivalent of the Cy Young Award in 2024 as a starting pitcher. Hart does not throw exceptionally hard, but he does spin the ball well and uses “tunneling” well. The fact that most major leaguers have not seen him also bodes well for his potential success in 2025 for the Padres.
At 27, Brito is in the prime of his career. Acquired from the Yankees in the Juna Soto deal, Brito may still factor in the rotation for the Padres, though he didn’t start a game last year for San Diego. The right-handed pitcher put up a 4.12 ERA last season in 26 games and 43.2 innings pitched. He is under control through the 2029 season and still has minor-league options left. He is probably a long shot to make the roster as a bullpen piece simply because the Padres have some highly paid veterans who will make the team.
Also acquired from the Yankees in the Soto deal, Vasquez seems to be the preferred option over Brito at the start. The righty started 20 games last year for San Diego and put up a 4.87 ERA in 98 innings pitched. Vasquez showed some promise and has an outside chance at a rotation spot in 2025. Ultimately, Vasquez did not miss a lot of bats in 2024 as he struggled to find a putaway pitch. He struck out only 62 batters, resulting in a 5.7 K’s per nine innings. The Padres may have use for Vasquez as a bullpen piece, but that all depends on the rest of the roster.
A Rule 5 pick from Baltimore, Nunez will have issues making the Padres. A.J. Preller may need to send him back to the Orioles, or perhaps the Padres could trade a lower-tiered talent to retain the pitcher. Nunez has some upside, but he was injured for much of 2024 and is honestly a Single-A pitcher at this point in his development. He may factor in the bullpen in 2025, but that seems like a far-fetched idea. He recorded a 2.97 ERA last season in 39.1 innings pitched at the Single-A level.
Last season’s Rule 5 pick, Kolek, made it through the season. Early indications are that the Padres will look at him as a starting pitcher. He has the pitch mix for success in that role but will need to dominate to crack the rotation in 2025. At 27, Kolek is no spring chicken, but the Padres have control through the 2029 season. He can be optioned to the minors now, and that is where he will likely start the 2025 season. The righty may factor in the bullpen in the coming season. You just never know.
This unorthodox lefty dominated in 2023 but struggled badly in 2024 for the Padres. After putting up a 1.75 ERA in 2023, Cosgrove was lit up to the tune of an 11.66 ERA and a 1.977 WHIP in 18 games and 14.2 innings pitched. He was also knocked around in the minors last season. There is hope he can retain his 2023 numbers, but he must improve. He provides the team with another potential lefty in the bullpen for 2025 and is under team control through the 2029 season.
This righty has 10 games of service time at the major league level and could factor on for the Padres. He provides a different look from the upper 90’s arms the Padres have, highlighting the unit. Jacob is funky, and he throws strikes. In his 17.2 innings pitched at the major league level, he has walked only three men and struck out 24. There is potential, but he is low on the totem pole in terms of options for the Padres. He is on the 40-man but will probably start the season in the minors.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.