The big move by the San Diego Padres this offseason was trading star outfielder Juan Soto away to the New York Yankees. The front office put an emphasis on shedding salary this winter rather than their normal aggressive approach to the roster construction.
Losing Soto puts a big hole in the middle of the San Diego lineup, but the Padres are confident that they can still remain competitive. They still have Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts and Fernando Tatis Jr. to lead the way, but they know how impactful it is to lose a talent like Soto.
“Obviously, nobody could replace Soto,” Manny Machado said this week. “I mean, he’s a top player in the game. He’s irreplaceable. … But we believe in the guys that we have.”
Soto was one of the better players in the league last season, helping to keep the Padres alive in the playoff hunt down the stretch. His presence will be missed, and the Padres won't ever get to know what could have been if he had stayed.
Bogaerts acknowledged that the team did receive a nice haul for Soto but that losing him does sting.
Said Xander Bogaerts: “We lost a big boy. It’s one of the best hitters in the game. That’s a big blow. The situation, contract stuff, all of that, you kind of understand. But in the end you lost a big one. ... We shouldn’t start like, ‘Oh, look at who won the trade.’ Not yet. Look, we got a really good load back. But we lost a really good one.”
The players and fans will have to watch Soto from afar now, but his memory isn't lost on this team. They want to prove they can win without him, even if it will be more challenging.
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