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Selecting Padres' MVP, Cy Young, ROY After Another Competitive Season
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- Selecting Padres' MVP, Cy Young, ROY After Another Competitive Season
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The 2026 campaign came to an abrupt end for the San Diego Padres against the eventual World Series champions back in the NLDS, but their season deserves another look. It was another entertaining season that brought 91 wins and another postseason berth. Although they were stopped short of their ultimate goal, 2026 was a season for the Padres to be proud of.
Bleacher Report 's Joel Reuter recently released an article selecting each club's MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year. Starting with San Diego's MVP, superstar outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. earned the selection.
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Tatis Jr. had a slower start to the year, not hitting his first home run until the end of May. Still, Tatis Jr. got more and more dangerous as the season carried on, posting a .996 OPS during the second half of the season. He finished the year with 25 home runs, 83 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, and a 130 OPS+ . Without the production of their superstar, the Padres would not have been able to make the last season run they did. He was undoubtedly the team's MVP in 2026.
For the Padres' Cy Young honors, Reuter went for more of a surprising pick, selecting closer Mason Miller. To be fair, Miller had a ridiculous season out of the bullpen for the Padres, recording 38 saves on a 1.67 ERA and 129 punchouts in 70 innings. Each time Miller came to the mound in the regular season, it would be a legitimate surprise if you saw anything other than a strikeout.
Despite Miller's dominance, there could be a strong argument made that the team's Cy Young should go to starter Michael King , who posted a 3.21 ERA in 32 starts. During a season in which Nick Pivetta was out for most of the year and the starting rotation looked thin, King was a rock that helped push the Padres into the postseason. In reality, you can't go wrong with either player for the club's best pitcher of the season.
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For the club's ROY, Reuter selected right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez. The former No. 14 prospect in the club's system back in 2025 had himself a stellar rookie campaign in San Diego's bullpen. His 2.19 ERA and 1.6 bWAR made him the fifth-most valuable arm on the Padres in 2026.
Pitching exclusively in relief for some time now, Rodriguez looks like he'll be near the top of the Padres' bullpen pecking order for years to come. Perhaps his standout rookie year makes the front office more comfortable with trading Miller, as they have been rumored to be open to it for some time now. Either way, Rodriguez's rookie season was pivotal for a Padres team that needed everything they could get out of each player.
