Oct 1, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Robert Suarez (75) reacts after the final out for the win against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
San Diego, California – The Padres knew this winter was going to sting. Losing Dylan Cease to the Blue Jays set the tone, and with Michael King expected to follow him out the door, San Diego fans are bracing for more departures as the roster reshapes itself yet again under A.J. Preller. But there’s one name slipping through the cracks — and his exit might feel just as painful as the headliners.
Robert Suarez.
The right-hander has been one of the most dependable, least talked-about anchors of the Padres’ bullpen since he arrived four years ago. He’s put up a stellar 2.91 career ERA, logged 5.8 bWAR, and last season alone delivered 40 saves across 70 appearances. That’s elite closer production on any team, in any era. Yet because relievers rarely grab the spotlight the way starters do, Suarez’s possible departure hasn’t commanded the same volume of headlines. It should.
Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly projects Suarez to land with the one team Padres fans least want to see him join: the Los Angeles Dodgers. The defending World Series champs have been hunting for late-inning stability for two seasons, and Suarez would slot right into their biggest area of need. Kelly floated a two-year, $26 million deal — short enough to let Suarez re-enter free agency at 37, and big enough to pry him away from San Diego.
And the truth is, the Padres may let him walk.
With the deadline addition of Mason Miller, plus the expected returns of Adrián Morejón and Jason Adam (though Adam’s quad injury could delay his season), the Padres believe they can withstand the blow. As Kelly noted, the bullpen was one of baseball’s best last year, deep enough that losing one arm — even one as consistent as Suarez — won’t sink them. From a roster-building perspective, it makes sense.
From a fan perspective? It still hurts.
Watching a 40-save closer join a division rival — especially that rival — is the kind of move that lands like a punch to the ribs. Suarez’s calm demeanor, uptick fastball, and fearless approach in tight games made him a perfect fit in San Diego. If the Dodgers are the team to scoop him up, he’ll be closing out games in front of the very fans who spent the past few years watching him slam the door for the Friars.
But this is where the Padres’ identity has to matter. They’ve rebuilt bullpens before. They’ve found value in unexpected places — from Rule 5 picks to NPB and KBO standouts to under-the-radar trades. If Suarez leaves, the task becomes collective: find two or three arms who can combine to carry the load, or give Mason Miller a soft landing as he transitions into whichever role the staff envisions for him long-term.
San Diego doesn’t have to replace Suarez with another Suarez. They just have to keep stacking innings, keep building depth, and trust the system that’s kept them afloat through far more dramatic offseasons than this one.
Still, if Suarez ends up in Dodger blue, fans won’t forget. And if he racks up saves in Chavez Ravine at the pace he did in San Diego, it’ll be another reminder that the NL West arms race never slows down — it just changes hands.
For now, Padres fans can only hope the front office has another bullpen surprise waiting in the wings. They usually do.
