Padres May Be Better Off Losing The Rest of This Season Due to New CBA

The financial side is there.

Though many Padres fans, players and front-office personnel would've liked to see a better win-loss record for the team in 2023, the best course of action may actually be to continue on the downswing for the Padres. 

Far off the divisional standings in the NL West as well as nowhere near a Wild Card spot, the plan to abandon ship on the year may actually help the Friars in the long run due to reasons other than morale.

With their luxury tax numbers well above the $253 million second surcharge threshold — $283 million, according to Spotrac — the Padres’ first pick in the 2024 draft will drop by 10 spots unless they finish with one of the majors’ sixth-worst records as those picks are protected under the new collective bargaining agreement. If their record deems the Padres should pick seventh overall next summer, for instance, their luxury tax penalty pushes that pick to 17th overall. Finish inside the worst six and enter the lottery. 

via Jeff Sanders, San Diego Tribune

Current San Diego GM A.J. Preller has never been shy to shed the prospect farm for major league talent, doing so once again at this year's trade deadline albeit to some poor results. 

By dropping further in the standings, the Friars may actually stand to gain a better draft pick and could use the selection to recharge the farm that's long been one of the more middling groups in the league. 

Though the current assembly of veteran talent was expected to win many games at Petco in 2023, the team sits in fourth place of the NL West after many predicted that they'd be in first. 

Decisions will certainly be made as the weeks count down to October, but Bob Melvin's team won't give up without a fight even with the odds stacked against them.