The San Diego Padres are a team for MLB contenders to keep an eye on during the upcoming season.
The Padres may not be done wheeling and dealing after trading Juan Soto in a blockbuster deal with the New York Yankees. If San Diego isn't competitive in 2024, they may look to deal their other three star players: Fernando Tatís, Jr., Manny Machado, and Xander Bogaerts, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
More Padres trades?
Tatís Jr. would undoubtedly attract the most interest. He is a 24-year-old certified superstar. If it weren’t for PED accusations, Tatis Jr. would likely be considered on track to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. As it stands, he is a versatile defender, and can be a cornerstone of any team's lineup. He also has a team-friendly contract, locked into a deal with an average annual value of just $24 million per year for the next decade.
Manny Machado is an electrifying third baseman who is still in the prime of his career. Machado is also on a reasonable contract given his talents, and he appears to have matured from his Baltimore days, becoming a leader in the Padres' clubhouse.
Ideally, Machado would land on a team with an established leader, to help him continue to grow in that department, while he could fit in as an elite defender who can hit for both average and power.
Bogaerts will be the most difficult player for the Padres to deal, as he is talented but a clear tier or two below Tatis Jr. and Machado, and his contract is an overpay that will run until 2032 when he will be 41 years old.
The bottom line is that every team who is in contention for a World Series title should pay attention to the Padres situation as they may be able to acquire one or multiple star players if things go south in San Diego this season.
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