The San Diego Padres have been here before. A team brimming with talent, locked into the postseason, and carrying the kind of names that should make analysts stop and take notice, only to find themselves brushed aside when the national spotlight turns on October baseball.
For a franchise that has poured resources, star power, and years of fan anticipation into building a true contender, the latest round of ESPN playoff predictions feels less like an oversight and more like a statement: the Padres aren’t being taken seriously.
Padres snubbed in ESPN playoff predictions ahead of 2025 postseason
It wasn’t just a matter of exclusion, it was a pattern.