Will Padres Continue Making In-Season Moves To Propel Them To The Playoffs?

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I’ve been a bit of a Padres stan for the past few years. I’ve thought this was a team that was going to find its way to the World Series, or that they were at the very least going to give the Dodgers a run for their money. They obviously haven’t gotten to the World Series, and there were a few years that they missed the playoffs, but the Padres do seem to keep fighting each year, trying to get the job done.

Last year recap:

There isn’t much to say about the Padres. They were a good team, winning 90 games, but they just so happen to play in the same division as the Dodgers, so being good is not enough. They did retool a bit in the season, trading for Mason Miller to shore up the back end of their bullpen. JP Sears also came over in that trade. The team didn’t make it very far in the playoffs, pushing the Cubs to the brink in the three-game series before losing. 

Offseason moves: 

The offseason doesn’t really tend to be where the Padres operate any longer. It seems like most of their moves are made to improve the roster during the season. Yu Darvish may be retiring, but that is not certain at the moment. I’ve seen reports he did officially, and news stories saying that he is leaning toward it. So, ultimately, who knows? The Padres did re-sign Michael King, which should help bolster the rotation. They have a ton of arms in the bullpen, so I’m interested in seeing who breaks with the team out of Spring Training. Of the teams I’ve covered, the Padres seem to have made the fewest moves. They also just added Nick Castellanos, who left the Phillies. He will be a more powerful version of what Luis Arraez provided for them last year, and is a good addition. 

July 5, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) celebrates after hititng a walk-off home run during the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-USA TODAY Sports

Roster: 

The arms in the rotation should be reliable enough to make the Padres relevant once again. I like Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove, and King. This isn’t going to be one of the best rotations, but they also aren’t the worst. The problem is most likely going to be keeping them healthy. Musgrove has the stuff to be an Ace, and Pivetta was great last year. The bullpen is too messy to sort out at the moment, with the exception of the most important role, the closer. The team still employs Fernando Tatis, Manny Machado, and Xander Bogaerts, so they won’t be terrible on offense. But this team will need big seasons from Jake Cronenworth, Jackson Merrill, and other guys to propel them ahead of the Dodgers. 

Betting outlook:

Even with great seasons from role players, it will be pretty difficult for the Padres to win the division. However, it isn’t impossible. The only goal the Dodgers actually have is the World Series. The win total for them is 85.5, and I lean to the over. They have too much invested in the club to not keep pursuing if they are decent at the trade deadline. They have enough pieces to compete in most series, they just need it to click and for them all to be healthy at the same time. Perhaps a better bet is for them to just make the playoffs at -155. 

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