Padres News: Friars Ranked as Best Team in MLB to Miss Postseason

How did it happen?

Preseason expectations crowned the San Diego Padres as divisional champions with World Series hopes before the 2023 season. 

162 games later, the team now watches the postseason without a seat at the playoff table as what many described as the most disappointing team omitted from the big dance. 

The Padres were the best team in baseball that didn’t make the postseason. They finished second in the National League in team ERA and sixth in runs scored. They had the front-runner for the Cy Young Award (Blake Snell) and the front-runner for the Trevor Hoffman Award (Josh Hader). Juan Soto and Manny Machado both hit 30 or more home runs, while Fernando Tatis Jr. blasted 25 and stole 29 bases. Ha-Seong Kim had his best season, hitting 17 homers and stealing 38 bags. The Padres will likely have to do significant cost-cutting this offseason, which would make it difficult to retain several of their free agents, including Hader and Snell. However, they still should be considered a bounce-back candidate for 2024.

via Jim Bowden, The Athletic

Marquee free agent Xander Bogaerts went unmentioned by Bowden after he didn't have the best start to his Padres career with an up-and-down season. 

Still, the talent throughout the roster should have been enough for the team to make an October run. 

For whatever reason be it just one win in extras all season, failure to drive in teammates with runners on or poor clutch time execution, San Diego faces a long offseason just a year after their inspired 2022 NLCS run. 

Questions around Juan Soto's future, Blake Snell and Josh Hader's collective free agency and possibly Preller's position with the team are all in play due to the Friars' failure of a 2023 campaign. 

Though still unclear as to when answers will be provided for said questions, time will tell for all of these key figures in the organization.