The Padres' success could come down to these three pivotal players

After coming off consecutive seasons where the San Diego Padres made the postseason, the club parted ways with some high-profile players over the winter. They will be without Dylan Cease, Luis Arraez, and Robert Suarez. 

Fortunately, the club was able to get a deal done with Michael King, bringing him back on a three-year, $75 million contract. He will be expected to lead the rotation while Cease signed a seven-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. 

You also cannot forget that Yu Darvish will be out for the 2026 season. He had UCL surgery over the offseason, which is his second major elbow surgery. 

MORE: Walker Buehler reflects on time with Dodgers after signing with Padres

The Padres' success could come down to these three pivotal players

It will be tough for the Padres to continue their success, but they still have the starpower to do so. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado are still operating at an All-Star level, and Mason Miller is one of the most feared relievers in all of baseball. 

Winning the division may be out of the question with what the Los Angeles Dodgers have done over the offseason, but you cannot rule them out as postseason contenders. 

For this to happen, MLB.com's Jared Greenspan believes Jackson Merrill, Michael King, and Joe Musgrove will have to be at their best all season long. 

"Entering his age-23 season, can Jackson Merrill resemble the five-WAR player who burst onto the scene as a star in the making in 2024? All-Star righty Joe Musgrove enters Spring Training healthy, but what will he look like on the other side of Tommy John surgery? And there's a lot of pressure resting on the right arm of Michael King, who made just 15 starts last season after finishing seventh in NL Cy Young voting in 2024. Strong seasons from those three players could vault the Padres to the postseason for a third straight year."

That puts a ton of pressure on these three entering the spring. But if they can perform, they'll be putting their team in a good position to battle for a postseason spot.

More MLB news:

• MLB analyst makes a bold claim about the Athletics' offensive ceiling
• The elite statistical company that makes the Diamondbacks a 2026 threat
• MLB analyst pinpoints three veterans key to the Astros returning to form
• MLB analyst pinpoints the three hitters key to a Rangers' postseason return
• The Giants' success hinges on an offense finally outperforming its projections