Part 5/8:
Conversely, what about the Padres? The initial excitement of acquiring Soto was soon met with challenges. Fernando Tatis Jr. faced a lengthy suspension, and Josh Bell's performance diminished significantly with San Diego. While Soto delivered memorable playoff moments, including clutch hits that drove the Padres to the NLCS, his regular season numbers fell well below expectations.
However, despite individual struggles, the Padres still sought to build a contender, bringing in Soto, Machado, and Tatis. Yet, disappointing results came, with the Padres failing to meet their championship aspirations in 2023, which led to speculation about the team’s direction and Soto's future.