Xander Bogaerts May Be Most Important Player for the Padres in 2024

Will Bogaerts be better in Year 2 with the Friars?

The 2023 season for the San Diego Padres was a very forgettable one. Nothing seemed to go their way until the very end of the season, when it was too late for a full comeback. 

Heading into 2024, the team will be looking for more consistency, and the core remains fairly similar. They still have stars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. but did lose star outfielder Juan Soto in a trade.

The Padres' most important player in 2024 may be the big signing from the 2023 offseason: shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who struggled at times during his first season in San Diego.

With Soto now gone, Bogaerts will need to step up as a dangerous hitter for opposing pitchers. He will be counted on even more this season than last, and will be looking to regain the form that netted an 11-year, $280 million contract in the first place.

"Even in a down year, Bogaerts was a 4.4 WAR player. He batted .321/.364/.493 in the second half -- which, to be perfectly frank, is what the Padres paid for. After spending his entire professional career in Boston, 2023 marked a rough transition for Bogaerts. But, more comfortable in Year 2, he should be in line for a bounceback season."

Per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com

Machado will likely be starting the season on the injured list due to offseason elbow surgery, so the Padres will need Bogaerts to be ready from the outset. His second half of 2023 (.321/.364/.493 after the All-Star break, .253/.339/.392 before) was much more reminiscent of the player he is. He will be trying to pick up where he left off when the regular season opens in South Korea on March 20.

If Bogaerts can return to form, the Padres will likely be a force to deal with once again. They will surely be better than last season, and the veteran infielder will be able to have a direct say in how it all goes.