Padres Do The Impossible At The Trade Deadline

Padres General Manager A.J. Preller decided to play MLB the Show 22 on Rookie mode with no salary cap with this newly-revamped roster.

It has happened. All the rumors and predictions surrounding the 2019 World Series champion Juan Jose Soto and where he would be dealt has finally been done, and he is not in the Dodger blue. Instead, he is in the glorious brown and gold pinstripes being cheered on by a sold-out crowd in Petco Park, and there will be plenty of more sellouts from now on, so get those tickets in advance!

The moment Soto rejected a $440 million extension with the Washington Nationals, teams salivated all over this already to be Hall of Fame player in order to bolster their roster and World Series chances. Numerous teams were in on it of course, but few resulted in wanting to pull the trigger on giving up youth for a dynamic player. The finalists came down to the Padres, Dodgers, and Cardinals, with many young prospects that excited the Nationals and their rebuild plans. However, you can only ask for so much with some teams. The Cardinals did not want to give away Dylan Carlson, which put them out of the race late, as for the Dodgers, it really was not detailed on what would they have traded, but they would have fleeced the Nationals yet again in my opinion, and that is me not being a Dodger hater either.

Soto, 23, who just recently became the 2022 Home Run Derby Champion has a lot on his resume to already be considered a Ted Williams replica in today's game of baseball. Soto provides that rare power with plate discipline that makes him almost impossible to get out. The same age as me, yet this kid is a 2x Silver Slugger winner already with a Batting Title and is now a 2x All-Star. Unreal. This addition alone desperately helps San Diego's outfield and roster, which has struggled big time with slugging numbers and outfield production. The cost was heavy for the acquisitions but could be well worth it as it is World Series or bust for the next few years here. Who would have thought we would be saying that?

For Juan Soto and Josh Bell, the price was hefty. San Diego traded away many top prospects. LHP Mackenzie Gore, SS C.J. Abrams, OF James Wood, RHP Jarlin Susana and Robert Hassell III are the young kids traded away to D.C. In addition, slugging first baseman Luke Voit has went as a veteran piece after Hosmer rejected to go in the trade package and was instead dealt to Boston.

Preller has given away more top prospects, yes, but for a major return in Soto and Josh Bell, who was in MVP talks back in 2019 when he mashed the ball with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Getting Soto was already amazing, but grabbing Bell as well is like when you get Chick-fil-A with two cookies on the side rather than just one. Bell, of course, is a massive upgrade over Eric Hosmer who we all thought would put this trade down the sewer. A switch-hitting first baseman that plays with grit and heart as well as providing the slugging numbers and higher OPS.

In their Padres' debuts, it did not take long for Soto to get his first Padres hit, which came in his final AB in the 8th inning in a blowout win against Colorado. Soto also had two walks and some Soto shuffles of course! Bell, also showed discipline with two walks and two runs despite not recording a hit. I can't complain one bit. Get on base in any which way and pass the baton! Soto's current statline has improved this year as the season goes at .246/.410/.484 with Bell at .300/.385/.491.

All the Padres' new acquisitions are very excited to be part of a contending franchise and it has made the already exciting atmosphere even better in Petco Park. In addition to the two sluggers, Preller also went out and grabbed the best closer in the game in Josh Hader for what could be an awkward closer for closer trade that sent Rogers and others to Milwaukee. Preller as well traded for third baseman / utility man Brandon Drury from the Cincinnati Reds for Victor Acosta.

Taylor Rogers, whom Preller traded for earlier this season from the Minnesota Twins, was not bad, but not great either as down the stretch blew saves to where he lost his closing role. He now gets a fresh start with the Brewers and for Hader, he comes to a team that flourishes with closer talent.

Hader, 28, is arguably the best closer in baseball as he has been an untouchable force with the Brewers with that side-arm lefty delivery. Hader is already a 4x All-Star and is a 3x Hoffman Relief Award winner. Hader has recorded 100+ strikeouts in three of his six seasons as a closer. Nasty!

Drury, 29, is having a breakout year, and this type of player compliments San Diego's roster on so many levels. Not just Drury, but others like Nola, Alfaro, Mozara, and Beaty once healthy can serve up as the DH or be put in as late substitutions. I can keep going with the list. Depth is important in baseball with a long season, especially when you reach deep in the postseason, something this team is salivating. Drury welcomed himself in a booming way to "Slam Diego" as on the first pitch he saw, he took it for a grand slam. You can't make this stuff up! Drury currently holds a 2.2 WAR with 63 RBI's and a .864 OPS. Very solid all around.

All together, this trade deadline feels so much better than 2021. When the Padres lost out on the Max Scherzer sweepstakes, especially to the Dodgers, it stung. Adam Frazier was in a weird spot and grabbing Jake Marisnick did not do much. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise! If the Padres grabbed Scherzer, they would have not done what they just did on August 2, 2022.

Let's hope it gets even better from here somehow as Myers has made it back and even in old-fashioned form playing great first base defense and Fernando Tatis Jr set to come back mid-August. This San Diego Padres team is deep offensively now as well as with the pitching that has stayed consistent this season. Now let's have these newcomers bring a World Series championship to America's Finest City.