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The San Diego Padres are battling through a slump, but they are having a good season, currently holding a wildcard spot. With Fernando Tatis, Manny Machado, and Dylan Cease almost guaranteed to make the 2025 All-Star team, others also deserve consideration. Jackson Merrill, Gavin Sheets, and Nick Pivetta are having great seasons, and all three deserve consideration to make the All-Star team this season.
Multiple players can make the All-Star team from the Padres. Specifically, the Padres have generated some goodwill this season and are generally playing great. Despite a down month from San Diego, there is still a lot of talent that deserves some recognition. Sometimes, they don't always get it.
The All-Star Game is less than one month away, and the All-Star game voting continues. Ultimately, there will be a few picks and a few snubs. While a few will undoubtedly make it, Merrill, Sheets, and Pivetta all deserve a chance to show that they belong after the strong seasons they have had.
Jackson Merrill makes the Padres go
Merrill recently suffered an injury that could keep him out for at least a week or two. Regardless, he has done well enough to warrant consideration on the All-Star team this season.
Merrill is batting .304 with five home runs, 26 RBIs, and 24 runs. Also, he has a .349 on-base percentage and a .474 slugging percentage. He has also had numerous high metrics, according to Baseball Savant. Significantly, he has an expected batting average ranking of 91. Merrill also has a batting run value of 83 and a slugging percentage value of 86.
Merrill also won the 2024 Silver Slugger Award and was on the 2024 All-Star team. Overall, he continues to produce big numbers while also contributing to the Padres' success. Despite the injury, Merrill has shown why he deserves consideration for another appearance in the All-Star game.
Gavin Sheets should get consideration for the All-Star team
Sheets overcame an injury earlier this month to return to play without incident. So far, he has been one of the quiet power threats in the lineup. Sheets is batting .267 with 12 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 27 runs this season. Therefore, he has had a lock on most pitches and driven them over the fence, despite playing most games in a pitcher's ballpark. Sheets is also three home runs away from matching his career high, indicating that he is in the middle of a career year.
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Sheets' numbers are off the charts, especially the little-known baseball metrics. Baseball Savant lists him at 94 for his hard-hit percentage, which is considered elite. Moreover, his sweet-spot percentage is at 89, showing he knows how to square up and get the pitch he wants. His average exit velocity is 86, which is also considered very good.
His power stats have proven valuable to the Padres, such as when he clobbered the game-tying home run against the Atlanta Braves on March 27. Amazingly, he remains a threat to the plate whenever he approaches. Pitchers are wary before making pitches to him, as Sheets has proven he can be a guy who can change the game with one swing. There is no doubt he should receive consideration to be on the 2025 All-Star team.
Nick Pivetta is an unseen ace
Everyone knows what Cease can do. Likewise, many see Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove. But Cease is struggling lately, and Darvish and Musgrove are both hurt. Yet, Pivetta is having a good season and should get the recognition for it. Pivetta is 7-2 with a 3.40 ERA while keeping the San Diego rotation stable amidst the injuries.
Pivetta boasts exceptional metrics in terms of pitching run value, fastball run value, and breaking run value. Furthermore, his strikeout metrics are also above average, coming in at 81. Pivetta also has an 81 score on extension metrics. The metrics on Baseball Savant don't tell the entire story.
Pivetta was remarkably exceptional over his first five starts this season, posting a 1.20 ERA, accompanied by an impressive 27 percent strikeout rate and a remarkably low 6.3 percent walk rate. Also, he did not allow many deep shots, giving up just one home run over the stretch. Pivetta also has an elite four-seam fastball that garnered 11 strikeouts in one start, which was a single-game high for him. He has also had dominant starts against good teams like the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, and New York Yankees.
Pivetta has carried the Padres throughout this season, despite the massive injuries around him that have threatened to derail their season. The Padres probably would not be in their current spot without his amazing pitching. Therefore, he should have a chance to make the All-Star team this season, given his elite performance.
