SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 19: Juan Soto #22 of the San Diego Padres celebrates at second base after hitting a one-run RBI double during the fifth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in game two of the National League Championship Series at PETCO Park on October 19, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Four bold San Diego Padres predictions for the upcoming season including individual performances and where they finish in the NL West.
The San Diego Padres are going for it. What’s the “it?” It’s a championship.
Pulling off the trade for Juan Soto last summer pushed the Padres into a spot where they have no other option other than to go all in for the 2023 season. They’ve added Xander Bogaerts. Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove have extensions to keep them in town, too. Manny Machado’s uncertain future might be a minor distraction, but it can easily be spun as the star third baseman having a career year ahead of his free agency following an opt out.
The Padres have more than a wild card and a loss in the NLCS in their 2023 playbook. What’s in store for this ball club? Let’s make some bold predictions.
1) Bold Padres prediction: Juan Soto wins the NL MVP
Juan Soto hasn’t won an MVP yet. The runner-up in 2021 back when he was with the Washington Nationals, Soto didn’t even enter the conversation in 2022. It was a down year with both the Nationals and Padres. He finished the season batting .242/.401/.452. All numbers were either career lows or tied with his previous bottom.
Playing on the Padres for a full year and having the time to get accustomed to the situation will pay off. Soto was worse with San Diego than Washington last season. There is nothing to suggest he’ll continue to underachieve in 2022. In fact, baseball fans will be pleasantly reminded of just how amazing he is.
At 24, Soto’s prime may still be in the future. A true star of the game, he has the power, plate discipline, and winning team check marks to help him win the 2023 National League MVP.
Pitchers won’t be able to pitch around Soto all season like they could when he was with the Nationals. He’s in a dangerous lineup. An MVP season feels inevitable.