New Year … new-look Padres?
After a disappointing 2023 season, that’s the resolution in San Diego.
Already, there’s been a significant amount of change for the Padres entering 2024. Mike Shildt has replaced Bob Melvin in the manager’s chair. Juan Soto is off to the Bronx, in exchange for a boatload of controllable pitching -- the pitching the Padres so desperately needed.
And before the 2024 season gets underway, more change is coming. The Padres have plenty of question marks on their roster, notably in the rotation and the outfield. In a slow-moving market, they’re likely to be active on both the free-agency and trade fronts.
As the calendar turns, here’s a look at what might lie ahead for the Padres in 2024:
Biggest question to answer before Spring Training
Do the Padres have enough pitching? And if not, where do they find it?
There are other holes on this roster, particularly in the outfield. But the sheer number of innings -- quality innings -- that must be replaced is massive.
The Soto trade helped this cause in a big way (albeit at an awfully steep cost). The Padres landed four young pitchers, all of whom should contribute in 2024. Meanwhile, the Yuki Matsui signing should help address some leverage relief innings.
There's still work to be done -- some undoubtedly via free agency, but general manager A.J. Preller has found frontline pitching on the trade front before.