Title: The Silence of the San Diego Padres' Offseason So Far
Last season, the San Diego Padres ended up in second place in the National League West. They wrapped up the campaign with a strong 93-69 record, but unfortunately, they were five games behind the reigning World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
According to fangraphs.com, the Padres have made a single major league roster addition this offseason, signing free agent right-handed utility player Mike Brosseau in December. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have been busier, strengthening their roster across multiple positions.
The Dodgers have bolstered their rotation and bullpen with the additions of Blake Snell (LHSP, free agent), Roki Sasaki (RHSP, international free agent from Japan), and Tanner Scott (LHRP, free agent, acquired from the Padres). They have also fortified their outfield with Michael Conforto (OF, free agent). fangraphs.com even lists Conforto as the starting left fielder, batting seventh in the Dodgers lineup.
This influx of talent may make it even harder for the Padres to bridge the gap with the Dodgers. The Dodgers' already formidable roster is now even more loaded, giving them even more firepower to maintain their dominance in Major League Baseball.
Non-Dodgers fans have voiced their frustration over the Dodgers' ability to consistently attract high-caliber free agents, often at exorbitant costs. As it stands, the Dodgers have the highest tax payroll in MLB at $372,155,758, followed by the Padres at $233,501,178.
The Dodgers' high tax payroll has drawn criticism, with fans seeing it as an unfair advantage in Major League Baseball. Nonetheless, the Padres find themselves without any luxury tax issues as of now.
It's been a quiet offseason for the Padres so far, with few major transactions. There were reports that young Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki, who eventually signed with the Dodgers, was a finalist for the Padres. The Padres also lost Tanner Scott, their former closer, to the same Dodgers side.
Reports suggest that the Padres are open to trading infielder Luis Arraez, who won his third consecutive batting title with an impressive .314 average. Jurickson Profar, the All-Star outfielder, who filed for free agency, could also potentially rejoin the Padres. However, his negotiations with the team could push the Padres to the first luxury tax threshold.
The Padres still have time to strengthen their roster before spring training begins, but as of now, it's been a slow offseason for a team eager to challenge the reigning champions.
The Dodgers have significantly boosted their sports money spending during the offseason, attracting high-caliber players like Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott, and Michael Conforto. Meanwhile, the Padres, despite having a higher secondary sports money compared to other teams, have had a quiet offseason with few major transactions.