Afrigather 2:56 AM UTC
SAN DIEGO — The offseason is younger. Greater than two months stay till pitchers and catchers report — greater than two months for basic supervisor A.J. Preller to additional shake issues up in San Diego.
As such, workforce officers aren’t fairly able to make declarative statements about which gamers may change positions subsequent season.
However this a lot is obvious: The Xander Bogaerts signing modifications issues in a giant manner.
The Padres’ roster was loaded with shortstops earlier than Bogaerts put pen to paper on an 11-year, $280 million deal on Friday morning. The ripple results are quite a few. Fernando Tatis Jr. now appears destined for a transfer to the outfield. Ha-Seong Kim is prone to slide to second base. Jake Cronenworth ought to see time at first. There is a risk Juan Soto strikes from proper to left.
At a Friday afternoon press conference to introduce Bogaerts, Preller was adamant that the puzzle items will match — even when it means place modifications are anticipated for a handful of superstars.
“It isn’t haphazard,” mentioned Preller, who confirmed Bogaerts will play shortstop in 2023. “We have talked about it. We’ve got a basic sense of what we will attempt to do. … The widespread theme with all the blokes we have talked to to this point is we wish to win. We’ve got some actually gifted, versatile gamers, and we will use that right here as we go into subsequent yr.”
These conversations have begun. Preller and supervisor Bob Melvin spent the previous couple of days chatting with their gamers concerning the influence of the Bogaerts signing. (They even had a Zoom name with Kim slated for shortly after Bogaerts’ presser.)
However the greatest positional domino to fall is Tatis, who, two offseasons in the past, signed a record-setting 14-year deal to be the Padres’ shortstop of the longer term. That is not the case. Immediately, it seems Tatis might be set for a full-time shift to the outfield.
“He may play anyplace,” Melvin mentioned. “I imply, I am not going to place him behind the plate. However he may play anyplace, in most likely any sport. He is as athletic and gifted a man as there’s within the sport. He is the kind of man that is going to fill any gap.”
Nonetheless, Tatis has at all times made it clear he views himself as a shortstop. Even Bogaerts famous that his presence in San Diego got here as one thing of a shock.
“San Diego was my first All-Star Recreation again in 2016,” Bogaerts mentioned. “So I positively envisioned myself possibly being right here in the future. However after they received Tatis, I used to be a little bit uncertain. I used to be like, ‘That doesn’t match.’ However right here I’m. It’s loopy how the world works.”
Tatis has evidently softened his shortstop-or-bust stance. Final yr, earlier than his suspension, the Padres have been anticipating Tatis to play each shortstop and outfield, permitting them to platoon Kim and middle fielder Trent Grisham. Now Tatis gained’t return till mid-April, after testing optimistic for a performance-enhancing substance.
“He simply needs to play, and he needs to win,” mentioned Melvin. “We’ll determine what the workforce seems to be like on the sphere as we go alongside. Like I mentioned, the offseason remains to be occurring.”
Certainly, the rest of the offseason will dictate the Padres’ actual plans for Tatis. Have been they so as to add a nook outfielder, Tatis may get the majority of his reps in middle. Grisham is a two-time Gold Glover however struggled final season on the plate.
In any other case, Tatis would presumably shift to proper. Soto has spent the majority of his profession there. However proper area at Petco Park is way extra spacious than left, and Tatis’ elite athleticism may play properly. As for Soto?
“Both proper or left area, he is performed each,” Preller mentioned. “That is one other piece, a man that is had expertise enjoying both nook. He’ll know the place he will play and lock in at one spot. We’ll see how the remainder of the offseason goes earlier than we have now that dialog.”
The infield dynamic is equally tough. Kim was a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop. Cronenworth was a Gold Glove finalist at second. Each might be requested to play elsewhere.
However Kim has already confirmed himself an excellent defensive second baseman. Identical for Cronenworth at first. Have been the Padres to signal a primary baseman — nonetheless a definite risk — there might be additional positional inquiries to ask. However the emptiness at designated hitter helps mitigate that infield logjam.
“Croney has the power clearly at second and first,” Preller mentioned. “… Ha-Seong enjoying any of the infield spots, Tati infield or outfield — we will see how the following couple weeks go, from a roster standpoint, and see what we’re left with.”
