Padres Have Work To Do Based On Landing in First MLB.com Power Rankings of 2024

The Friars are looking to get back into the postseason next year.

2023 was a year to forget for the San Diego Padres. After a spectacular offseason, they stumbled out of the gates and failed to reach the postseason.

The team is trying to use this offseason to get themselves back into a spot of contention. The biggest issue for the team is that they have been on a cost-saving spree that has seen them miss out on multiple talented players.

They traded away star outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Yankees and watched starting pitchers Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha head to Kansas City. There is a ton of pressure on the front office to keep this team competitive, and there is still work to be done.

In the first power rankings from MLB.com for 2024, San Diego came in at No. 16 overall. This shows that they are seen as an average team right now.

The Friars still have a solid core in place, so they should be better than they were in 2023. Stars Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Xander Bogaerts all headline the lineup for the team, giving them some reliable hitters.

Each of the stars had down years last season, so the Padres are banking on that not happening again in 2024. But the biggest issue for the Padres comes from the pitching staff.

Other than Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove, they don't have a lot of experience in the rotation. San Diego did acquire some young arms in the Soto trade, including Michael King.

Darvish and Musgrove both finished the 2023 season on the injured list, so there is no guarantee of anything from them. The pitching staff for the Padres will likely make or break the season, and it's on the front office to finish the offseason on a strong note.