Padres Hit With Concerning Claim As Yu Darvish, Michael King Absence Leaves Playoff Dreams in Jeopardy

Just when the Padres thought the script couldn’t get any messier, reality kicked the door down. The rotation’s held together with duct tape, optimism, and maybe a little denial. Meanwhile, Yu Darvish and Michael King are doing the one thing San Diego can’t afford—disappearing. As the playoff race tightens, the Padres are flirting with collapse, and no amount of bullpen magic can cover up this looming crisis.

The San Diego Padres have always been a force of nature. Their bats are making noise, and their pitchers are keeping the opposition silent, but with some of their main pitchers out, the opposition has started to strike back. They desperately need Yu Darvish and Michael King if they want to make the postseason, and MLB insider Joel Sherman knows it, too.

In a recent show of MLB Now, they talked about the close game the Dodgers and the Padres had, and also talked about how, with a little help, the Padres might make it deep into the postseason. He said, “For the Padres, it’s going to be a lot tougher. Michael King is not close to returning. We are hearing very iffy stuff about Yu Darvish. If those two guys do not come back and pitch well… it’s going to be hard for the Padres, maybe even to keep contact wild card wise.”

The Padres need Yu Darvish and Michael King like a car needs an engine—urgently and completely. Darvish, a veteran anchor, posted a 3.57 ERA last season and eats innings like clockwork. King, before injury, held a 3.28 ERA and ranked top 20 in WHIP. Without them, San Diego’s rotation feels more like a patchwork quilt than a playoff weapon.

“If those two guys do not come back and pitch well… I think it’s going to be hard for the Padres maybe even to keep contact Wild Card-wise.”@Joelsherman1, BK and @hyphen18 break down how the Dodgers and Padres match up. https://t.co/ZIXnnFFVjK pic.twitter.com/TFsY5fAgEP

— MLB Now (@MLBNow) June 10, 2025

In their absence, the cracks are loud and clear. Padres starters have a combined ERA over 4.30 since May. Bullpen usage has skyrocketed, leading to fatigue and blown late-game leads. The lack of rotation depth is exposing the team’s soft underbelly, and the Dodgers are watching.

Alternatives? Slim, but not impossible. Rookie Adam Mazur shows promise but is raw and inconsistent. A.J. Preller could gamble again at the deadline, but the market’s thin. Internal arms like Matt Waldron might plug gaps, but can’t carry October hopes alone. San Diego needs a miracle—or at least, healthy starters.

The Padres can dream of October, but dreams need arms—and right now, theirs are in rehab. With Darvish and King sidelined, San Diego’s rotation is less a fortress and more a suggestion. If Preller’s deadline magic doesn’t deliver, the MLB postseason push may become a polite exit. October doesn’t wait for injuries to heal—it rewards teams that can survive them. Right now, the Padres are just trying to stay upright.

The Padres might want Jarren Duran, but they have bigger problems to solve

Maybe fixing left field is the answer—if the question is, “How do we rearrange deck chairs?” The Padres, in their infinite wisdom, are eyeing Jarren Duran again, because nothing screams urgency like patching holes with glitter. Meanwhile, Matt Waldron’s fluttering knuckleballs and Randy Vasquez’s growing pains aren’t exactly stabilizing a rotation that’s springing leaks. But sure, let’s go shopping for outfielders while the roof’s on fire.

Jarren Duran is electric, no doubt. He’s versatile, under club control, and posted 3.4 fWAR last season. But the Padres aren’t lacking speed—they’re lacking arms. With Michael King nursing a nerve issue and Yu Darvish still missing, the rotation is unraveling.

Instead of chasing Duran, San Diego should call about Jesus Luzardo or Jack Flaherty. Luzardo’s 2024 strikeout rate sits at 28.1%, with a 3.19 FIP that screams frontline reliability. Flaherty, revitalized in Detroit, boasts a 2.92 ERA and a 5.3 WAR, anchoring an overachieving staff. Either one could plug the Padres’ leak faster than an outfield band-aid.

Adding one of those arms buys time for the offense to rebound and Tatis Jr. to un-slump. It turns desperation into depth and panic into planning. Without pitching, no amount of Duran’s sprint speed saves October dreams.

But hey, maybe sprint speed wins playoff games now—someone should tell the Dodgers and Braves. The Padres don’t need another outfielder to admire; they need someone who can actually throw six innings without a stretcher waiting. Until the rotation is fortified, chasing Duran feels like debating curtain colors during an earthquake. Fix the foundation first. Then, and only then, go shopping for flair.

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