Padres Among Top Teams that 'Won the Offseason'
The Padres had a big offseason, signing shortshop Xander Bogaerts to a huge deal and inking smaller but significant deals with Seth Lugo, Matt Carpenter, and Nelson Cruz. San Diego also re-signed free agent pitchers Robert Suarez and Nick Martinez and worked out an extension with starting pitcher Yu Darvish.
Over at MLB.com, insider Anthony Castrovince lists the Padres as one of the teams that "won the offseason."
Continuing to outpunch their market weight, the Padres followed the trades for Juan Soto and Josh Hader with another absolute stunner -- the signing of star shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
Beyond what that move means for the middle of the lineup, it gives the Padres (who also made a late play for Aaron Judge) the flexibility to shift Ha-Seong Kim to second, Jake Cronenworth to first (a position where the Padres were below average last year) and, upon his return from suspension, Fernando Tatis Jr. to the outfield (where he might be better suited long term). The veteran bats of Nelson Cruz and Matt Carpenter could also add to the Padres’ power (and if nothing else, Cruz should prove a valuable mentor to Tatis and others), while Seth Lugo serves as a swingman for a staff that looks a little top-heavy in the rotation. San Diego also re-signed Robert Suarez and Nick Martinez.
One of these years, we’re bound to go through a Trade Deadline and Hot Stove period without the Padres making some kind of shocking splash. But not in 2022-23.
San Diego owner Peter Seidler has proven he's willing to spend the money necessary to put together a winning team, and 2022 was the best example of that yet, with the Padres advancing to the NLCS for the first time since 1998. Seidler obviously wasn't satisfied with that, as you can see from the team's activity this winter.
Bogaerts, Cruz, and Carpenter join an offense that will have a full season of Juan Soto and most of a season from Fernando Tatis Jr. to go along with MVP runner-up Manny Machado. Winning the offseason obviously isn't the ultimate goal, but it's hard to quibble with what San Diego has done this offseason.