Quite an offseason in San Diego, huh?
In case you tuned out four months ago and tuned back in Thursday -- when Padres pitchers and catchers formally worked out for the first time -- San Diego made some upgrades this winter.
The Padres locked in a generational talent at shortstop, they added three big-name starters to their rotation, and they upgraded their bullpen and bench, too.
Here are all nine of San Diego’s Major League moves this winter, ranked:
9. Padres sign OF Brian O'Grady to MLB deal
Much respect to O'Grady, who has a chance to make an impact off the bench as a lefty pinch-hit weapon capable of playing center field. But the Padres' made some big-time moves this winter, and someone's gotta be ninth.
8. Padres sign RHP Keone Kela to a one-year deal
Just when it looked like the Padres might stand pat in the bullpen, they made a pair of moves to upgrade their relief corps last week. The second of those was the addition of Kela. His presence turns an already deep bullpen into the most interesting race in camp. He owns a 3.24 ERA across six big league seasons, and has spent time closing. Make no mistake, this has the chance to be an impact signing, even if it’s eighth on this list.
7. Padres sign RHP Mark Melancon to a one-year deal
Two days before they agreed with Kela, the Padres added the veteran right-hander Melancon on an affordable one-year deal. Like Kela, Melancon also has closer experience and should compete for that role in camp. But regardless of role, Melancon boosts the Padres' bullpen in a big way. He posted a 2.78 ERA with Atlanta last season and brings a wealth of postseason experience.
6. Padres re-sign utility man Jurickson Profar to a three-year deal
There's a decent chance Profar makes a bigger impact on the Padres in 2021 than a couple of people ahead of him on this list. (He was certainly impactful last year, hitting .278/.343/.428 while anchoring left field.) But Profar's three-year deal has opt-outs after the first two. His long-term impact drops him to sixth on this list. With a skill set that could see him play all three outfield spots and everywhere in the infield, Profar is a hugely valuable piece in one of the sport’s best offenses.
5. Padres acquire RHP Joe Musgrove in trade with Pirates
Good luck finding a better No. 4 starter in baseball. Musgrove posted a 3.86 ERA last season with Pittsburgh and showed signs of breaking out into a dominant right-hander down the stretch. The Padres were banking on that version -- the one with two wipeout breaking pitches -- when they sent four prospects to Pittsburgh in January. Musgrove is under team control for two more seasons.
4. Padres sign IF Ha-Seong Kim to a four-year deal
Kim was one of the most sought-after free-agent infielders on the market this winter. Some Padres officials expect an early acclimation period for Kim, after arriving from the KBO. (It's part of the reason they reunited with Profar.) But the future is extremely bright for Kim, who was one of the best players in Korea last season, hitting .306/.397/.523 with 30 home runs. Ultimately, he could be one of the best utility pieces in the league, and he could share time at second base in a platoon with Jake Cronenworth.
3. Padres acquire LHP Blake Snell in trade with Rays
Now we're getting into blockbuster territory. Snell was the 2018 American League Cy Young Award winner and brings serious big-game experience to San Diego. He posted a 3.24 ERA in five seasons with Tampa Bay, including 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Snell is a certifiable ace, and he's under control for three more seasons. Those are his age 28-30 seasons, by the way, meaning the Padres have a lefty ace in his prime. The only reason he falls to No. 3 on this list is because of the relatively steep price the Padres paid -- a package of four players, including highly touted pitching prospect Luis Patiño.
2. Padres acquire RHP Yu Darvish and C Victor Caratini in trade with Cubs
For most of the country, this was the moment the Padres meant business. A day earlier they had landed Snell. Suddenly, San Diego was bolstering its rotation with two legit aces (to go alongside a third ace, Dinelson Lamet, who was already in-house). Darvish finished second in National League Cy Young Award voting last season, and he gets to keep his personal catcher in Caratini – a useful offensive piece in his own right.
1. Padres agree with Fernando Tatis Jr. on a 14-year contract extension
How do you cap an offseason in which you land one ace, then another ace, then a coveted infielder, then a slew of important roster pieces? Well, you lock in the 22-year-old superstar at the center of it all. The Padres did that on Monday, when they announced a 14-year deal with Tatis. Debate the dollars and cents all you want. The fact of the matter is the Padres have one of the best players in baseball at a premium defensive position just entering his prime -- and now they have him on board for the long haul.