3 Bold Predictions For Fernando Tatis Jr, Padres Ahead Of Opening Day

After falling nicely in need of expectations in 2021, the San Diego Padres performed their approach into the postseason and fell three wins in need of a World Sequence look in 2022. Already boasting a roster filled with all-star skills like Juan Soto and Manny Machado, the Padres went out this offseason and signed star shortstop Xander Bogaerts.

Regardless of signing one of many high free brokers in the marketplace and making a run on the Nationwide League pennant final season, the most important storyline for the Padres in 2023 is the return of Fernando Tatis Jr. The Padres star will make his long-awaited return in late April, gearing up San Diego for a possible championship run.

With a projected win complete of 93.5 wins in line with FanDuel, the Padres enter 2023 with excessive expectations. Something in need of a return to the NLCS may very well be seen as a disappointment for San Diego.

3. Padres win 100 video games for the primary time in franchise historical past.

For the primary time in Main League Baseball historical past, all 30 groups will play one another a minimum of as soon as all through the course of the common season. It offers followers an opportunity to see some stellar interleague matchups that they usually wouldn’t see, nevertheless it additionally offers the top-end groups within the league an opportunity to beat up on the minnows of the league.

The Padres are a kind of top-end groups, particularly on the offensive aspect of the ball. Offense travels nicely in baseball and the Padres are not any exception. San Diego scored greater than 100 runs on the highway in 2022 than they did at residence, and had a workforce OPS 52 factors increased away from residence.

The Padres ought to begin off the yr with a bang with 5 video games at residence towards the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks, two groups who gained a mixed 142 video games final season.

Maybe probably the most favorable stretch of the season for the Padres comes on the finish of June. They’ll face the Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds consecutively for 9 complete video games. The three accounted for a .368 win share in 2022.

Final yr, 4 groups gained 100 video games within the common season. If the celebrities keep wholesome and the function gamers contribute round them, the Padres will win a minimal of 90 video games. With the expertise on this roster, 100 wins is a really reachable threshold this season.

2. Yu Darvish leads the NL in strikeouts.

All through his profession, Yu Darvish has been one of the underrated pitchers in baseball. Since his MLB debut in 2012, Darvish has constantly been among the many finest strikeout artists on the mound, with a profession strikeout per 9 innings of 10.8.

In his 10 MLB seasons, Darvish has topped 200 strikeouts 4 instances and averaged 198 strikeouts throughout the final two seasons. Whereas his strikeout metrics had been barely down in 2022 (career-low 9.1 Ok/per 9) Darvish completed seventh within the NL in punchouts and logged the second-most innings of his profession (194.2).

The Padres rewarded Darvish within the offseason with a six-year, $108 million contract extension, preserving him in San Diego by means of his age-42 season.

Regardless of his struggles within the 2023 World Baseball Traditional with Japan, anticipate a rejuvenated Darvish on the mound for the Padres in 2023. Darvish is a gamer who is aware of easy methods to pitch deep into ball video games. If he can get near 200 innings once more this season, Darvish ought to simply get to 200 strikeouts. Pair that with some down years from among the different high pitchers within the NL and Yu Darvish has an actual shot at being the NL strikeout king in 2023.

1. Padres purchase Corbin Burnes on the commerce deadline.

No pun meant, this one could also be approach out of left discipline. Till you begin breaking it down piece by piece.

First off, Corbin Burnes is among the 5 finest beginning pitchers in baseball. He adopted up his 2021 NL Cy Younger Award-winning season in 2022 by making 33 begins and main the NL in strikeouts, ending seventh in NL Cy Younger voting.

Burnes’ present workforce, the Milwaukee Brewers, must be playoff contenders this season. Baseball is a really unpredictable sport although and regardless of the expertise that the Brewers possess, a foul begin to the season or a 2-10 two-week stretch in mid-July might ship the franchise right into a firesale.

Burnes is eligible to hit free company after the 2024 season and there are already fractures in his relationship with the Brewers after they low-balled him throughout the arbitration course of in February. Milwaukee additionally constantly has one of many lowest payrolls in baseball, main some across the league to imagine that they gained’t provide Burnes the cash he deserves every time long-term contract negotiations presumably happen.

Padres common supervisor A.J. Preller was probably the most aggressive GM within the league final commerce deadline, putting a deal for the most effective participant in the marketplace in Juan Soto. He additionally made a cope with the Brewers, buying and selling for all-star nearer Josh Hader.

With these offers, it’s going to be onerous for Preller and the Padres to provide you with the commerce capital to land a participant of Burnes’ caliber this season. The Padres have the Twenty third-ranked farm system getting into 2023 in line with MLB.com, with simply two prospects within the high 100.

Stranger issues have occurred earlier than although. If all the celebrities align, the Padres are in rivalry with the Brewers far out of it and Burnes possibly having a down yr to his requirements, don’t be stunned if Preller picks up the cellphone and tries to strike one other blockbuster deal.