Padres drop a close one to Reds as the bullpen yields two late runs, negating a stellar start from Nick Pivetta.

Pivetta's form boosts fantasy cases; Michael King’s health is a key swing factor for the rotation.

Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. pace the lineup, while Yu Darvish anchors the staff and could push for DFS value.

Jason Adam's status looms large as the Padres seek bullpen stability for a late-season run.

Padres cling to an NL Wild Card as a three-game slide stalls momentum, setting the stage for a decisive winter. Dylan Cease looms as a marquee free agent after a 13.7M one-year run, with a path that could include a qualifying offer or a multi-year deal with an early opt-out, echoing Nick Pivetta’s recent road map. San Diego may pivot if Cease departs, retooling the rotation to preserve fantasy upside.

For fantasy managers, Cease’s 2025 outlook hinges on market dynamics and the Padres’ spend plan. Pivetta’s signing backdrop offers a useful benchmark for ceiling versus risk in a pitcher-rich market. The Padres could pursue another ace, altering how Cease’s value is valued around the league and shaping the entire Padres pitching corps.

Taj Bradley looked the part in five strong innings for Minnesota, flashing 99 mph on the fastball and missing with his splitter and curve in a clean start that yielded one run and six strikeouts before the late fade. Mick Abel couldn’t escape trouble, failing to record an out in the pivotal seventh as San Diego surged to a 12-3 win at Target Field. Minnesota’s offense earlier built a 3-1 lead behind Byron Buxton’s homer and Trevor Larnach’s RBI hit, but the Padres exploded late, riding a back-to-back Laureano-Sheets RBI sequence and a multi-hit rally to pull away.

Fantasy-relevant angles lean toward Bradley’s immediate upside in dynasty/keeper leagues as he settles into Minnesota’s rotation, while Abel’s command and length remain red flags for speculative rosters. Padres hitters fed on Abel’s struggles, with Cronenworth, Machado, Díaz and Laureano contributing keys in a seven-run seventh that turned a close game into a rout.

Manny Machado’s 1,000th hit as a Padre sparks a dramatic rally as San Diego erupts for 12 runs in four innings to throttle Minnesota, capped by a go-ahead seventh. The power surge comes from Elias Diaz’s two homers, plus key early runs that turn a tight contest into a laugher. O’Hearn and Laureano add timely hits, while Cronenworth’s wall-bounce clears the way for two more. Pivetta works five innings as the Padres take the series and push fantasy angles for multiple hitters.