The San Diego Padres have had a quiet offseason since their resurgent 2024 run came to an end in the NLDS.
After nearly defeating the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in their playoff run, the Padres have not made any blockbuster signings or trades to better their championship chances for next season.
During the Padres Fan Fest on Saturday, Padres third baseman Manny Machado spoke candidly on the disappointment of the team's lack of moves this offseason.
"Are we disappointed we haven't made any moves? Yeah," Machado told the media. "As a team, you look out there and you're a little disappointed that you let some of the guys that were a core group here go elsewhere, but at the end of the day we can't control that."
Manny Machado on if he has concerns about the direction of the Padres...and believes Sasaki had his heart set on the Dodgers all along@SportingTrib pic.twitter.com/XT494XnT16
— Marty Caswell (@MartyCaswell) February 1, 2025
Padres rookie standout Jackson Merrill shared a much more optimistic look on the Padres uneventful offseason. "I kind of like it being quiet though," Merrill said. "... Whatever team we have out there on that field, we're going to be able to dominate and compete with any team."
Not only have the Padres not made any major additions this offseason, they also have seen several of their own players from last season depart in free agency. Among those players, reliever Tanner Scott departed for the Dodgers, Jurickson Profar signed with the Atlanta Braves, and shortstop Ha-Seong Kim has agreed to a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Meanwhile, the Padres' biggest division rival, the Dodgers, have continued to widen the gap between themselves and the rest of MLB by acquiring multiple top free agents this offseason, including Scott and former Cy Young winner Blake Snell. Though no team has managed to keep up with the Dodgers' vigorous offseason pursuits, the Padres have particularly fallen short by not managing to land Roki Sasaki or at least one key free agent, which will not help San Diego as it tries to overtake the Dodgers in the division and World Series race.
As recently as 2023, the Padres were one of the most aggressive teams in the league, with late owner Peter Seidler signing players like Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and Snell, and trading for Juan Soto. Since Seidler's passing, the Padres have cut down on spending and Seidler's widow, Sheel Seidler, and brothers, Matt and Bob Seidler, are currently entangled in a legal battle regarding control over the franchise, likely hampering the team's ability to make more acquisitions to better the roster.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Manny Machado Candidly Addresses Padres' Lack of Moves This Offseason.
