Padres Fans Will Love GM AJ Preller's Answer About Falling Short in 2024

Preller has faith in the team going forward.

Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres fell short of advancing deep in the playoffs when they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series, but the team is feeling optimistic about where they are headed going forward. Though the Padres were unable to close out the series against the Dodgers to advance to the NL Championship Series, Padres general manager AJ Preller feels the team has "something very special" happening.

“It’s pretty obvious right now something very special is going on in San Diego,” Preller said, via AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. “The fans love this team, love this ballpark, and this city’s just so excited. For us, that’s where it stings the most. From day one, I’ve spoken about being on that big stage. That big stage is the World Series. We’re not going to be content until we get there.”

The team lost in the postseason, but they certainly proved they could compete with the best teams in baseball throughout the season and contend for a championship in October. This is key, as Preller noted that the goal remains for the team to win the World Series. If the Padres can build off the season they had in 2024, there's no doubt that San Diego could find itself in the World Series sooner rather than later.

The Padres are eagerly seeking their first World Series title. The Padres are one of five teams to never have won the World Series, along with the Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, and Seattle Mariners. The franchise has been to the World Series twice, last advancing in 1998, when they lost to the New York Yankees. The Padres are MLB's oldest team that hasn't won a World Series, but the current Padres squad feels like a team that challenges for the World Series.

The special energy is not just limited to the team's performance on the field. The energy from Padres fans this season certainly contributes to that "special" feeling, as Padres fans were among the best in MLB throughout the 2024 campaign. Per ESPN, Petco Park ranked fourth in attendance as they averaged 41,117 fans per game. Over the course of the season, Petco Park saw over 3.3 million fans attend Padres home games, and the team set attendance records during their postseason run.