The San Diego Padres are looking to make this year THEIR year. Sitting at a pretty 61-43 record, the team is looking to finally break free from their playoff curses from years past. After adding Juan Soto to an already stacked roster, the possibilities are endless for this team.

The Padres' suddenly formidable hitting could be adding more firepower soon. It's easy to forget at times, but Fernando Tatis Jr. has missed significant time this season due to injuries. His team's stellar arms have helped them survive his absence, but they've had a more than few close calls. Now, it seems like Tatis Jr is gearing towards a return. The Padres have already assigned him to their Double-A team for rehabilitation. (via Dennis Lin)

Tatis Jr. was one of the biggest reasons the Padres weren't completely garbage in the regular season last year . He had an excellent season from the batter's box, notching 42 home runs on a .282 average and a monstrous .611 slugging percentage. His efforts last year earned him his first All-Star nod.

Unfortunately, the Padres' season ended prematurely, as they failed to earn a Wild Card spot last season. Now, they have rectified their past mistakes, and are slowly closing in on the Dodgers for the division lead. At the very least, they should be able to nab one of the Wild Card spots barring another late-season collapse.

Can this be the year the Padres put it all together? They have all the tools in their roster to make it deep in the postseason. With Tatis Jr and Soto leading the hitting rotation, they will be a dangerous foe for teams in the playoffs.