Manny Machado Isn't The Only Padres Bat To Fear

San Diego is sure to improve on the third-worst run production in the NL from a season ago

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  • Manny Machado is arguably the biggest name on the San Diego Padres roster, and for good reason. He slashed .256/.334/.462 with 32 home runs and 85 RBI during the 2019 season, but he isn't the only imposing player on the Opening Day roster.

  • Other names, such as Eric Hosmer, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jurickson Profar, and Tommy Pham can form an intriguing lineup within the NL West.

  • San Diego's regular-season win totals line sits at 30.5 games (.508 win rate). They're +320 to make the postseason and +750 to win the NL West in 2020, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
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A New Star Is Ready To Emerge

No one can deny that Manny Machado is the biggest star on the San Diego Padres ahead of the (shortened) 2020 MLB season. The former Baltimore Orioles slugger signed a 10-year contract with the Padres before the 2019 season and delivered in his first campaign with the California-based franchise, finishing with 30-plus homers for the fifth-straight season. However, it would be wrong to think that the Padres can only go as far as Machado can carry them. There are other interesting names to watch in San Diego ahead of the upcoming MLB season.

One of the biggest names to watch -- excluding Machado -- will be their starting shortstop, Fernando Tatis Jr., who would have gathered serious consideration for the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2019 had he not suffered a late-season back injury. The 21-year-old infielder has all the makings of a future star, and he slashed an impressive .317/.379/.590 with a .273 ISO. Tatis Jr. should be treated as a legitimate power threat at the plate. He finished the 2019 season with 22 homers and 53 RBI, while also flashing speed -- 16 stolen bases. He certainly feels like a five-tool player and could be set for a huge leap in 2020.

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An Improved Offense

Tatis Jr.'s double play partner, Jurickson Profar, never panned out as the “next big thing” -- he was the consensus number-one prospect in MLB a few years ago -- but he’s coming off back-to-back 20-homer seasons with the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics. This will be his first appearance in the National League, but he’s a sleeper pick to produce thanks to his power production (.192 ISO with a low .218 BABIP) in 2019.

Eric Hosmer and Tommy Pham are worth a look as well. Hosmer bounced back last season with 22 homers and a .735 OPS. He might never be the dominant player he was during his Kansas City Royals days, but he is a more-than-serviceable alternative at first base due to his excellent glove. As for Pham, he was acquired by San Diego in an offseason trade with the Tampa Bay Rays after smacking 21 home runs in 145 games. The addition adds to their power threats (three-straight seasons with 20-plus homers), although it remains to be seen where he’ll end up playing. His glove profiles to either of the corner outfield spots.

Another player to keep an eye on is rookie Ty France. The righty hit .346/.413/.684 with 12 home runs in 150 plate appearances against southpaws in the Pacific Coast League last year. The MLB is a steep upgrade over the hitter-friendly PCL, but rookies can make an impact when first introduced to big-league pitching. He might be a name to watch, especially now that the National League will have the DH for the first time ever.

Last but not least, we have the catcher, Francisco Mejia. Just like Profar, Mejia was a highly-touted prospect, but injuries have slowed down his development. Still, he’s an offensive-minded backstop who hit .265 with eight homers in 79 games last season. He only has 111 games of experience in the big leagues and the offensive potential is there for everyone to see. Like France, Mejia could also benefit from the DH implementation.

Postseason Chances

The Padres may not be a popular playoff pick since they are in the same division as the Los Angeles Dodgers, meaning they are likely to compete for one of the NL Wild Card spots instead. That said, San Diego seems to have more than enough bats to create havoc in the NL, especially now that Machado has a decent core of players to support him in the lineup on a daily basis. With the NL West being a handful, it may be best to lower expectations. If The Padres are going to make the postseason, it'll have to be via a Wild Card spot. They're +320 to make it to the postseason. Watch out for this team that's clearly on the rise.

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