The San Diego Padres massively underachieved last year. Despite competing with the Dodgers and Giants for the top spot in the National League West through the first portion of the season, the Padres fell off a cliff after the All-Star break and ended up missing the postseason altogether. But most people around baseball believe that this team is better than their 79-83 2021 record indicates.
The Padres did not make any jaw-dropping upgrades during the offseason, but they did recently trade for Luke Voit. The slugger led the league in home runs during the shortened-2020 campaign with 22 homers and offers plenty of power potential. The trade may end up becoming a steal for San Diego if Voit reaches his ceiling.
The rest of the roster is still rather impressive. But there could be an overhaul next offseason if the Padres labor once again in this year.
Without further ado here are 4 bold predictions for the 2022 San Diego Padres
Padres 2022 Bold Predictions
Manny Machado Finishes as an MVP Finalist
In addition to being a tremendous fielding third baseman, Machado is a five-time All-Star who quietly enjoyed an impressive 2021 campaign. Machado posted a .278/.347/.489 slash line with an .836 OPS. He also smashed 28 home runs, drove in 106 RBI's, and added 12 stolen bases for good measure. And when it was all said and done, the majority of people around the baseball world labeled this as a “down year” for him. For most players, the kind of numbers Machado produced in 2021 would be career highs. But there is no question that he has a higher ceiling.
People often forget that he is still just 29 years of age. And with Fernando Tatis Jr. out for the first three months of the season, this is officially Machado's team now. If San Diego is going to remain competitive in the talented NL West they will need him to post MVP-caliber numbers.
Expect Machado to do big things in his fourth year with the Padres.
The Padres have Multiple Starting Pitchers Selected to the All-Star Team
San Diego's pitching staff faltered a season ago. Blake Snell looked like a shell of his former self, Yu Darvish was decent but not as dominant as he once was, and Chris Paddack dealt with injuries. But this is a rotation with the potential for a multitude of success.
Darvish's second half declined in 2021 was a product of various injuries. However, the right-hander reportedly made some adjustments to his pitching mechanics over the offseason to avoid dealing with those same setbacks in 2022. He is expected to be fully healthy to open the year, and a healthy Darvish could lead to Cy Young caliber numbers.
Paddack was once listed as future superstar. But the 26-year old has dealt with health issues and underperformance. But he is also expected to be fully healthy to open the season and there is untapped potential still looming for Paddack. He is a breakout candidate in 2022.
Mike Clevinger is the dark horse for San Diego. The right-hander was acquired from Cleveland back in 2020 but immediately had to undergo his second Tommy John surgery. Manager Bob Melvin recently announced that Clevinger will be in the Opening Day rotation barring any Spring Training unforeseen circumstances. If Clevinger can stay healthy he could be in store for an All-Star-esque season.
Finally, Blake Snell massively underperformed in 2022. His peak may be in the past, but Snell is still a pitcher with loads of strikeout potential. He may not be an all-star but 180-200 strikeouts with a mid-3's ERA seems realistic for the southpaw.
Expect two of those pitchers to make the All-Star team in 2022. I would lean towards Darvish and either Paddack/Clevinger, but Snell is a former Cy Young Award winner who could find himself in the conversation as well. The pitching rotation will be crucial in determining the Padres' success in the National League West as well.
Luke Voit Hits Over 40 Home Runs
The Padres acquisition of first baseman Luke Voit was big news when it happened, but will fly under the radar when discussing the most prominent moves of the offseason. However, it also could end up being an absolute steal for San Diego.
Voit's first solid big league campaign came in 2018 when he clubbed 15 home runs in just 47 games. The Yankees saw his power potential and played him in 118 games the following season. Voit rewarded them 21 bombs to go along with a .464 slugging percentage. But his breakout season came in 2020, when he led all of baseball in homers. However, the total was limited to 22 since only 60 games were played in the pandemic-shortened season. Voit also showed more consistent power, as he raised his slugging percentage to a jaw-dropping .610 figure.
There was plenty of buzz surrounding the first baseman entering 2021. But injuries unfortunatey told the tale of his season. The Yankees opted to go in a different direction at first base this offseason which automatically made Voit a trade candidate. San Diego pounced on the opportunity to land him and he is expected to be relegated to designated hitter duties in 2022. Allowing him to focus purely on hitting should lead to a monstrous season for Voit.
The Padres Make the Postseason as a Wild Card Team
San Diego realistically had the talent to make the playoffs in 2021. But they collapsed in the second half en route to an extremely disappointing finish in the National League West. They should be able to learn from their mistakes in 2022 and pace themselves for a late-season run. The hiring of head coach Bob Melvin will also help change the culture in San Diego. Melvin is a proven winner who has what it takes to lead the Padres to the playoffs.
Overall, the San Diego Padres 2022 outlook is promising!
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