Welcome to our series grading every member of the San Diego Padres’ 40-man roster. The roster being evaluated is current as of Oct. 18, prior to the end of the World Series. Because of that, it will include players who will be free agents once the postseason concludes. Each player will be graded on their performance in the 2026 season, including the playoffs. That performance will be weighted based on how much time the player spent with the team (availability is the best ability).
A Troubling Relief Campaign
Jeremiah Estrada never had a real shot at breaking into the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen. The Padres made that something that the Northsiders would live to regret when they claimed him off of waivers ahead of the 2024 season. Estrada had a dominant 2024 campaign, highlighted by a 2.95 ERA and an MLB-record 13 consecutive strikeouts. Since then, he’s been solid but uninspiring.
Overall Grade: C
It’s not that Estrada’s 2025 campaign (3.45 ERA, 73.0 IP) was particularly bad. The bigger problem was his breakout 2024 made it seem like the right-hander would be automatic from then on. He was somewhat unlucky in 2025, with a 2.76 expected ERA compared to his 3.45 ERA. However, he allowed a career-high 12 home runs, contributing to his high 3.55 Fielding Independent Percentage (BB, HR, SO and HBP).
The problem with Estrada’s 2026 season was his lack of availability. The righty had three separate stints on the injured list due to elbow tendinitis, knee inflammation and a shoulder impingement. That resulted in Estrada being able to toss just 31 innings for the Friars. He was solid during that time (3.48 ERA) but just wasn’t nearly as dominant as his former self.
Entering 2027, Estrada’s health will be closely monitored. He should be good to go come Spring Training, but San Diego will need to keep a close eye on his performance in the offseason and through Cactus League. Notably, Estrada’s .183 opponent batting average was a step forward. His bigger problem was in limiting free passes (16 walks). Regardless, Estrada will be a big factor in San Diego’s bullpen plans for 2027.