Recommendations Heading Into the Season

(All statistics acquired from https://www.baseball-reference.com/)

The Padres are headed into this next season extremely hungry for a World Series title, after getting knocked out of the NLCS the year prior, so I have a few recommendations that I believe will improve the team and help them throughout the year. My first recommendation is to sign or trade for another starter to be the five in the rotation as I'm not sure how Seth Lugo will fair at that position. My top guy on the market right now, for the estimated price it will cost, is Johnny Cueto. Not only did Cueto used to be an extremely elite pitcher in the past, but he had a very good 118 ERA+ while playing for the White Sox. Since he will be the five in the rotation, a modest one or two year deal for around six to eight million per year would be extremely affordable for the Padres who are projected to exceed the competitive balance tax threshold. I would also go after an outfielder as there are currently only three on the 40-man roster. I believe there are two solid options, the first being signing AJ Pollock. Pollock, though he had a down year hitting wise last year, has been a solid to elite hitter for a majority of his career and I believe that he will have a bounce-back year. This will allow him to be a steal for any team that would sign him as he shouldn't cost as much as he usually would. I would give him a 1 year prove it deal in order for the Padres to get him for cheap and allow him to get more money if he performs well or the Padres can get rid of him after the season if he doesn't perform. I also believe a reunion with Jurickson Profar isn't a stretch as there is mutual interest for him to return, it's just that he will want too much money, as he already opted out of his $7.5 million contract in order to test the market. Profar was stellar defensively in left field last year and was above average at the plate as well (111 OPS+), but can be streaky at the plate at times so there is caution in the market thus far. As far as the lineup goes with the current locks for the starting lineup, I believe that a platoon of Jake Cronenworth and Ha-Seong Kim at second base would be the most productive option. Cronenworth does well righties (109 OPS+) and Kim does well against lefties (116 OPS+) which would help optimize the offensive potential of this already dangerous lineup as well as keep both of their defensive talents out there. The Padres also have a problem on who will play first base, so I would also platoon Matt Carpenter and Cronenworth there, as well as use Carpenter at designated hitter a majority of the time because he was a monstrous hitter in the previous season before he was struck with a foot injury. San Diegans are looking forward to a massive World Series push and I believe these recommendations will only aid the stacked roster in carrying the team to the promise land!