There has been some controversy over the San Diego Padres breaking many of baseball’s unwritten rules. But the Padres are trying to have fun when playing the game, they aren’t willing to take the game far too seriously.
The free-wheeling attitude of the San Diego Padres makes them one of the best teams to watch. The Padres’ unique approach to playing has also paid off, as they remain one of the best contenders in the sport. But there also exists a challenge in trying to win a division featuring the reigning World Series champions.
We have plenty of positives to say about the San Diego Padres in our MLB predictions. We find the team’s roster to be mostly complete.
A Strong Offense
The Padres have one of the best offenses in the sport. You can expect Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. to compete for the National League MVP title. Wil Myers may also get in the race if he can hit .300 and continue his home run pace.
The team will need to see how well second baseman Jake Cronenworth and first baseman Eric Hosmer can compete this season. Both players have a real shot of hitting .300 this year.
The team had the fourth-most home runs last season, and Tatis and Machado could compete for forty home runs each. Expect them and many others on the roster to leave a couple of dents in the Western Metal Supply building in left field at Petco Park.
What the Pitching Features
The pitching situation in San Diego features Dinelson Lamet and Zach Davies, but they might not be finished here. Adrian Morejon will likely be in the starting rotation after throwing twenty-five strikeouts in his four starts from last season.
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MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patino may also make an appearance this season. Gore has been heralded as having one of the best fastballs in the sport. Patino showed some growing pains last year, as he had a 5.19 ERA in seventeen innings last season. Mike Clevinger will miss the 2021 season following Tommy John surgery, so the team will rely on these two starters a little more this year.
The bullpen has some positives to explore, including Drew Pomeranz as their closer. The Padres are moving on from Trevor Rosenthal in the closer position. Pierce Johnson and Tim Hill show great potential, but the rest of the lineup isn’t too strong beyond this point.
Where Will the Padres Finish in 2021?
Our MLB predictions list the San Diego Padres as finishing in second place in the NL West. The Padres have some of the best talents in the sport, and the enthusiasm the team has for the game makes them a quality team to watch. But the Los Angeles Dodgers are too powerful of a team to contend against, and it might take an extra bit of time for them to go far.
Will the Padres Go Far in the Playoffs?
The San Diego Padres will reach the playoffs in 2021 as a wild card. But we don’t see much out of the Padres in the playoffs, as we predict they will lose in the wild card series to the Washington Nationals. But the Padres will take the next step in getting to the playoffs in a regular 162-game season this year, which will be a significant development.
There are still a few months before the next season of the MLB starts! But if you are looking to get your fix of baseball early, make sure you visit our MLB hub page for all the information you need!
Image by: Keith Allison
