Longtime shortstop Xander Bogaerts headed into the 2024 season because the Padres’ new on a regular basis second baseman, however he moved again to brief in September to fill the void when Ha-Seong Kim was misplaced to a season-ending shoulder damage. With Kim now poised to affix the Rays, the trail is evident for Bogaerts to return to his previous place. Padres supervisor Mike Shildt advised reporters that Bogaerts would be the staff’s common shortstop in 2025, and that the veteran is “excited” concerning the alternative, through Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The information isn’t essentially a shock, as Bogaerts retook the place down the stretch and into the postseason whereas Kim was on the IL late final 12 months. He’s removed from the one participant on the roster with shortstop expertise, however president of baseball operations AJ Preller made it clear at first of the offseason that he wasn’t enthused by the prospect of shifting both of his former shortstops within the outfield, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill, again onto the infield dust in 2025. There have been no less than some indications all through the winter that rival golf equipment have expressed curiosity in Bogaerts as a possible commerce candidate however the veteran’s hefty contract has lengthy made such an association look unlikely. It’s hardly a shock that San Diego has him penciled in for the beginning shortstop gig to open the season given the unlikeliness of a commerce, notably now that Kim has reached an settlement elsewhere that may shut the door on a reunion.
As Bogaerts enters his age-32 season in 2025, he’ll be seeking to rebound from the worst marketing campaign of his profession final 12 months. Within the second 12 months of his 11-year, $280M contract with San Diego the infielder was restricted to simply 111 video games by a fractured left shoulder and hit simply .264/.307/.381 (95 wRC+) when wholesome sufficient to take the sphere. Notably, Bogaerts started to look a bit extra like himself after coming back from damage within the second half with a .299/.338/.432 (117 wRC+) in 64 video games after being activated from the injured checklist in mid-July. That’s roughly according to the 119 wRC+ he posted throughout his first 12 months in San Diego, when he was in a position to put collectively a marketing campaign price 4.6 fWAR. That was the seventh-best season amongst all shortstops in baseball in 2023, and the Padres would absolutely be delighted by an analogous efficiency in 2025.
With Bogaerts seemingly entrenched at shortstop, the remainder of the membership’s infield combine falls into place with Manny Machado remaining at third base whereas Jake Cronenworth slides over to second instead of Bogaerts. Luis Arraez stands as the highest candidate to deal with first base as issues stand regardless of his title continuously showing within the rumor mill this winter, however the Padres most popular to make use of him as their DH for almost all of his time in San Diego final 12 months. With no less than one bat seemingly wanted between first base and DH, the place Arraez finally ends up enjoying might come all the way down to what participant is added to the 1B/DH combine alongside him. J.D. Martinez and Justin Turner are among the many finest remaining gamers obtainable at DH in free company, whereas first base has a handful of comparatively reasonably priced veterans obtainable like Anthony Rizzo and Mark Canha.
