3 questions facing the San Diego Padres this offseason

Just a few inches made a difference in the San Diego Padres season.

The Padres finished the season with a 91-71 record before emphatically dispatching the Chicago Cubs in the wild-card round. Their season came to an end against the eventual World Series-winning Milwaukee Brewers, though the Padres were agonizingly close in the four-game ALDS. First baseman Ty France hit a high fly ball in the ninth inning that hit a cable at American Family Field for an out in their 3-2 loss in Game 1. Star closer Mason Miller was unable to secure a two-inning save in a 4-3 loss in Game 2.

This has become a familiar refrain for the Padres. They have been competitive, reaching the postseason in five of the last seven seasons, but only reached the NLCS once. The Padres have to find a way to take that next step forward and bring their first World Series title to San Diego.

Three questions facing the San Diego Padres

1. What should the Padres expect from new ownership?

One of the biggest changes with the Padres will happen in the owner's suite. The Padres were sold to Kwanza Jones and Jose E. Feliciano, with the new ownership saying that they are "all in" and are committed to the organization. 

While it is easy to say all the right things during a news conference, the true test will be the Padres payroll. Late owner Peter Seidler was willing to spend in an attempt to bring a championship to San Diego despite coming up short. Feliciano and Jones will need to bring that same financial commitment to the organization as they look to contend with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It may not take long for ownership to show how committed they actually are.

2. How do the Padres rebuild the rotation?

The rotation may be the first test for Feliciano and Jones to prove their commitment to the Padres. The current depth chart lists Randy Vasquez and Joe Musgrove atop the rotation. Vasquez is a solid back-of-the-rotation arm, but Musgrove is a wild card as he missed most of the past two seasons due to Tommy John surgery and subsequent setbacks.

Meanwhile, starters Michael King, Nick Pivetta, Casey Mize, Robbie Ray, Walker Buehler and Lucas Giolito are free agents. The Padres farm system has been strip-mined as general manager/president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has worked to build a contending roster. He may need to get creative once again to rebuild the Padres rotation.

3. Can the Padres rebuild a bridge to the ninth inning?

The rotation is not the only area of concern. Relievers Adrian Morejon and Jason Adam are also free agents, removing a pair of valuable high-leverage arms from the Padres bullpen. Morejon, in particular, will be highly sought-after on the open market.

The Padres may have an internal option to fill one of those holes. Tucker Musgrove, the Padres seventh-ranked prospect, per MLB.com, has an intriguingly deep arsenal for a reliever, including a fastball that has hit triple digits. Musgrove has battled injuries and has only 15.1 innings above A-ball, but if he can contribute to the Padres bullpen, he could make a difference as Preller looks to fill out the roster.