Manny Machado Admits Padres Players 'Disappointed' In Lackluster Offseason

The San Diego Padres were one win away from the NLCS in 2024. They were one win away from knocking their division rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, out of the postseason for the second time in three seasons. 

Even after trading Juan Soto to the New York Yankees in the 2023-2024 offseason, they'd built an immensely talented roster. Jackson Merrill debuted and almost immediately became a superstar center fielder. Jurickson Profar revamped his batting stance and approach, becoming an All-Star outfielder. Kyle Higashioka had the best season of his career out of nowhere at age 34. 

Even the Soto trade generally worked out for San Diego; Michael King became an ace, and they flipped other prospects to acquire Dylan Cease. 

Still, San Diego couldn't get that one win over LA, instead going scoreless in games four and five as the Dodgers outscored them 10-0 to end the series. The offseason hasn't been much better. Unsurprisingly, the team's remaining players have noticed, and they aren't happy about it. 

At a media event over the weekend, star third baseman Manny Machado was asked about the general feeling about the Padres' inaction during the offseason and admitted they're "disappointed" with the lack of additions.

"Are we disappointed we haven’t made any moves? Yeah," Machado said. "As a team you look up there and you are a little disappointed that we let some of the guys that were a part of our core group here go elsewhere."

"At the end of the day we can’t control that," he continued. "We can control with the group of guys we have here and we are going to get ready for a long season."

SAN DIEGO - Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting a single in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game Three of the Division Series at Petco Park on October 8, 2024. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Machado, Padres, Have Uphill Battle Ahead Of Them In 2025

As Machado mentioned, many of the team's key contributors from 2024 are gone.

Profar signed with the Atlanta Braves. Ha-Seong Kim with the Tampa Bay Rays. Kyle Higashioka is a Texas Ranger. David Peralta is a free agent. Donovan Solano is with the Seattle Mariners. Tanner Scott with the Dodgers. Joe Musgrove is out until 2026. Rumors have suggested they might trade either King or Cease. Or potentially both, just to clear salary and try to rebuild their decimated farm system. 

Oh, and the Padres missed out on Roki Sasaki, who chose the Dodgers to rub salt in the postseason wound.

To replace those who've left, San Diego's signed…Elias Diaz. That's it.

PECOTA, a computer-based projection system by Baseball Prospectus, has the Padres winning an average of 82 games in their simulations of the 2025 season. The Dodgers meanwhile, are projected for 104 wins. San Diego's postseason probability is just 39 percent, with a 0.9 percent chance of winning the NL West.

Even with their talent, the Padres were fortunate to win 93 games in 2024. King and Cease were healthy and productive all season. They had miraculous comeback after miraculous comeback, with Merrill alone hitting five game-tying or winning home runs in the ninth inning by August. At one point, he'd come to the plate 14 times with his team tied or losing by a run in the ninth. And he hit .583 with a walk and five home runs in those situations.

Profar, Solano, Peralta, Kim, Musgrove, Scott and Higashioka contributed nearly 12 wins last year. They're all gone or out for the season.

It's no surprise Machado is disappointed in the team's lack of additions this offseason. The Dodgers have improved, the Diamondbacks added Corbin Burnes, and the Giants brought in Willy Adames. San Diego's lost 12 wins worth of production and replaced it with nothing. 

Yes, they do have elite talent. And yes, they could easily make the postseason with the current roster and hope for the best in the randomness of a playoff tournament. But their margin for error isn't just razor-thin, it's nonexistent. Machado turns 33 this year, and he might be wondering if his window to win a World Series is rapidly closing.