The Dodgers’ latest high-dollar signing means the Padres will continue on a wild-card-or-bust track
Padres starting pitcher Blake Snell pitches against Dodgers designated hitter J.D. Martinez during the first inning at Petco Park on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023 in San Diego, CA. The Padres knew that barring a few minor miracles, they’ll be playing for a wild card instead of the National League West title in 2025.
Shohei Ohtani’s expected return to the mound in spring training will add another ace to an L.A. rotation that will welcome back Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a $375-million addition last winter.Padres fans may not even recall the last time their team won the West race. “The reality is, the Padres are never going to be able to compete financially and roster-wise completely with the Dodgers,” Preller told ESPN’s Pedro Gomez in 2020, weeks after L.A. swept the Padres out of the playoffs. “So what’s your next best option? Let’s do the best we can and if we get there, we can beat them in a seven-game series.”
Indeed, the Padres earned a wild card in 2022 and again last season. In the best-of-five Division Series three Octobers ago, they ousted the Dodgers, only to see L.A. eliminate them last month in the rematch and then go on to win their first full-season World Series title since 1988. Preller packaged those three with catcher Francisco Mejia in return for Snell. Mejia appeared in 227 games over three seasons for the Rays, then spent last season with the Brewers’ Triple-A club. He and Patiño are now free agents. Wilcox and Hunt are still in the minors.
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