All is in. The Padres are doing something.
The Padres have added a number of players in the last three years. Although they need to find a way to keep him off of motorcycles and on the field, they have signed world-class infielder Fernando Tatis Jr. to a 14-year, $340 million extension.
One of the most formidable trios in all of baseball will be formed once the deal is final, one that will be hoping to bring San Diego their first World Series title.
The Padres have been around longer than any other team that has never won a World Series. They've been a loser for a long time. They have finished with a losing record in 36 of their 53 seasons. They were to the World Series twice, losing to Detroit in 1984 and to the Yankees in 1998
After a long time in the NL West, Padres GM A.J. Preller said enough was enough.
They did everything in 2020 and 2021.
They were swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS. They didn't make the playoffs in 2021, and finished with a losing record. It feels a bit different this time.
The Padres have one of the best "tops-of-the-lineups" in baseball history with the impending acquisition of Soto and the return of Bell. The rotation is one of the best in baseball, and they just added Hader to clean up the back end of their relief corps.
The Padres have been aggressive over the last few seasons, but this trade will finally put them over the top.
The Padres might not be able to catch the Dodgers in the NL West this year. They have a two-game lead for the second NL wild-card spot and are expecting Tatis to return soon. The World Series odds have gone from 2000 to 1100 since the deal.
Even if this year isn't the year, a fully loaded Padres team next year should make a lot of noise in the NL. Every single night, they will be must-watch television.
The Padres need to negotiate an extension with Soto. He rejected a record 15-year, $440 million extension because he didn't want to be a national hero. He can either accept an offer from the Padres or demand more. You have to think that the Padres want him in a Padre uniform for at least 15 years.
There is more to the battle for the NL West in the years to come. The Padres had to make a move to keep up with the Dodgers. They were competing with the Dodgers to win the deal. He would have been deflating if he had been allowed to go to LA.
The Padres went even more all-in and are now just about as all-in as a team has ever been. This team will be considered one of the biggest failures in MLB history if they don't win a world series. The World Series window is just beginning to open.
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