Padres Pitcher in Juan Soto Deal Breaks Out With Increased Velocity

Randy Vasquez's fastball and sinker are averaging nearly 1 mph faster this season, leading to early success.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 10:55pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball pitcher's motion, with sharp planes of vibrant colors like blue, red, and yellow, conceptually representing the power and precision of the Padres' breakout pitcher.A cubist interpretation of a pitcher's explosive motion captures the raw power and precision behind the Padres' breakout star.San Diego Today

San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Randy Vasquez, who was acquired in the Juan Soto trade last year, is off to a strong start this season thanks to increased velocity on his fastball and sinker. Vasquez is averaging 94.3 mph on his 4-seam fastball and 94.5 mph on his sinker, up 0.8 mph and 1.4 mph respectively from last season. This added velocity has helped Vasquez dominate opposing lineups, posting a 0.75 ERA with 11 strikeouts in his first two starts of the year.

Why it matters

With several other Padres starters struggling to begin the season, Vasquez's breakout performance has been a welcome development for the team. The added velocity on his pitches has transformed Vasquez from a back-end starter into a potential frontline option, helping to solidify San Diego's rotation without the need for a major trade or free agent signing.

The details

Prior to last September, Vasquez had only reached 95 mph on his fastball 10 times in his career. But in his six starts since then, he's hit that mark 57 times, showing a significant uptick in velocity. While he didn't hit 95 mph in his most recent outing against the Boston Red Sox, the cold weather likely played a factor. Overall this season, Vasquez has a 0.75 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts in 12 innings across his first two starts.

  • Prior to last September, Vasquez had only reached 95 mph on his fastball 10 times in his career.
  • Since last September, Vasquez has hit 95 mph 57 times in his 6 starts.

The players

Randy Vasquez

A right-handed pitcher for the San Diego Padres who was acquired in the Juan Soto trade last year. Vasquez is off to a strong start this season, posting a 0.75 ERA with increased velocity on his fastball and sinker.

Juan Soto

An All-Star outfielder who was traded from the Washington Nationals to the San Diego Padres in a blockbuster deal last year.

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What they’re saying

“Think about this: Before last September, Vasquez had only touched 95 mph 10 times in his entire career. He's done so 57 times in six starts since, even though he didn't reach that mark last time out on Saturday.”

— Jared Greenspan, MLB.com reporter

What’s next

If Vasquez can continue to build on his strong start and maintain his increased velocity, he could solidify himself as a key part of the Padres' rotation moving forward, helping to offset the struggles of other starters like Walker Buehler and German Marquez.

The takeaway

Vasquez's breakout performance with increased velocity on his pitches has been a welcome development for the Padres, helping to solidify their rotation without the need for a major trade or free agent signing.