The San Diego Padres have shown they are ready to go all-in with this Fernando Tatis Jr.-led core, adding Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals in exchange for a number of prospects. Even if Soto doesn’t guarantee signing a long-term contract extension, San Diego is willing to take the calculated risk because he has two chances to win his series at Worlds with this nucleus.
Problems began to persist again as Tatis Jr. was suspended 80 games for testing positive for a banned substance in MLB. So while he missed the entire 2022 season, it didn’t seem to matter much as the Padres advanced all the way to the NLCS. , one would continue to wonder if Fernando Tatis Jr. had played last season and could have fought the Houston Astros in the World Series.
With the emergence of center fielders like Ha-sung Kim and Jake Cronenworth, who signed Xander Bogaerts and Matt Carpenter in the offseason, San Diego’s depth in those positions is a little too much. On the flip side, having lost Mike Clevinger and Sean Manaira in free agency shows the weaknesses they have on the back end of the rotation so you can seriously ask about someone like Pablo Lopez. increase.
Padres traded for Pablo Lopez
One of the best young pitchers in the league, Pablo Lopez has been on the trade market for several seasons already.He’s been associated with big markets like the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, but the asking price seems a little too high for their tastes. linked He’ll move to the Padres in the offseason, but it doesn’t seem like he’s got a concrete offer for the Marlins yet.
On the San Diego side, Kim and Trent Grisham Have got Rumors have been circulating for the past few days, raising concerns that Miami is interested in the two. Grisham showed immense potential in a shortened 2020 campaign. but then suffer offensively in 2021 and 2022. He’s still one of the best defensive outfielders in the league and could draw some interest. A more viable option is Hanson his Kim, who exploded last year when Tatis Jr. went missing.
Grisham and Kim are expected to increase their numbers heading into 2023, but Pablo Lopez is one of the key players at the World Series in San Diego. Yu Darvish, Blakesnell and Joe Musgrove are arguably one of the best trios on his staff pitching in the National League, but the rotation after this three of him is a tough one. Seth Lugo and Nick Martinez can be selected as his 4th or his 5th starters respectively, but these two players of his are known as reliefs.
AJ Preller and the Padres have limited starting pitching options as most free agents are already signed. Pablo Lopez has played in 63 games and posted a respectable 3.47 ERA in his last three reasons. There was even a time last year when Lopez’s ERA was below his 3, so it seems more consistent if he moves to an offensive team.
It seems one-sided for now, but if the Padres can include prospects and more seasoned players like Jake Cronenworth, the Marlins might bite.