San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler shared an inspiring message with fans following the free agency signing of Xander Bogaerts, per Bill Shaikin.
“This is a city that is headed toward its first world championship,” Seidler said.
The Padres swung and missed on Aaron Judge and Trea Turner in free agency. But the third swing was the charm as they inked Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year, $280M dollar deal.
The Padres took down the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2022 playoffs. That alone felt like a victory for a team that had famously struggled against LA. But their sights are now firmly set on winning a World Series championship. Anything less than a ring in 2023 would feel like a failure for San Diego.
The Padres' World Series odds are now tied for fourth best in MLB following the Xander Bogaerts deal.
Xander Bogaerts' presence in San Diego raises some questions. Notably, it has fans wondering what the future holds for Fernando Tatis Jr. Trade speculation around Tatis Jr. has arisen since the moment Bogaerts and the Padres agreed to a deal. However, San Diego still believes in Tatis Jr.'s talent. The most likely scenario is one that has the Padres playing Bogaerts at shortstop and Tatis Jr. in the outfield.
A lineup featuring Bogaerts, Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado would be intimidating to say the least. Meanwhile, the Padres' strong pitching rotation makes them one of the more balanced teams in the National League. It will be interesting to see if they make any more high-profile moves this offseason.
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