The San Diego Padres Struck Gold After Swinging And Missing On Big Names
This week, the 2022 MLB winter meetings took place in San Diego, California, and the host city MLB team, the San Diego Padres, was one of the biggest stories.
The Padres were just in the NLCS two months ago and are trying everything they can to get past the N.L. and make it to the World Series. The Padres were going after big free agents on the open market, but the free agents wanted no part of the Padres.
Big Names Say No To San Diego
Free agent shortstop Trea Turner reportedly turned down a 342 million dollar offer from the Padres and took an 11-year 300-million-dollar deal to play for the team that beat them in the NLCS, the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Padres struck out on Turner, so they went after the biggest free agent on the market, outfielder Aaron Judge.
Many people believed the Judge sweepstakes was down to the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, but the Padres made a late push and offered him ten years for 400 million dollars. Instead, Judge turned down the contract and signed back with the Yankees for nine years, 360 million.
The #Padres, who offered $342 million for Trea Turner, and $400 million for Aaron Judge, finally gets someone to take their money. Needless to say, Padres chairman Peter Seidler and GM AJ. Preller have come every agent's best friend. They still plan to sign more free agents. — Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 8, 2022
San Diego is one of the best places to live in the United States, and the baseball team is stacked and going to be suitable for a while struck out of two big stars after offering them a lot more money than what they decided to sign for, and the Padres needed to do something.
Here Comes Their Star
They say the third time is the charm, so the Padres went out and went after shortstop Xander Bogaerts. Bogaerts has been a Boston Red Sox for the last ten years, and he won two World Series, five Silver Sluggers, and was named an All-Star four times.
Bogaerts decided late Wednesday night that he would sign an 11-year 280-million-dollar deal with the Padres and be their starting shortstop for the next decade.
Breaking: Shortstop Xander Bogaerts and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on an 11-year, $280 million contract. First reported by MLB Network, confirmed by @JeffPassan. pic.twitter.com/YlTjArIkh4 — ESPN (@espn) December 8, 2022
After losing out on Turner and Judge, the Padres made sure they would not lose out on Bogaerts, and you can argue that he was the best free-agent shortstop on the market.
Fernando Tatis Jr. is the team’s shortstop and is one of the best players in the sport when on the field. However, he missed the 2022 season after a motorcycle accident, fracturing his wrist, and then being suspended 80 games for testing positive for a banned substance. Tatis will be able to return from the suspension in April, and he will most likely move to one of the corner outfield spots.
The Padres already have one of the best third basemen, Manny Machado, and outfielder Juan Soto. The lineup will be stacked when Bogaerts and Tatis join the team, and they will be one of the favorites to win the N.L.
Here's how the Padres look right now pic.twitter.com/cHrK6upUs3 — Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 8, 2022
After going for big stars this week and missing the Padres saved their winter meetings and offseason by signing one of the best players on the market in Bogaerts.
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