Forgive the bawdy Robin Hood pun, but...of all teams to sign a multi-year deal with a franchise-building first baseman...I wasn't expecting the team who has literally nothing BUT a franchise-building first baseman.
Yes, Wil Myers is expected to move back to the outfield to accommodate everything, but...the San Diego Padres, who were building but not extensively, are a wild-card pick to nab Eric Hosmer, who has an ASG nod, a World Series ring, and some big-time major league credentials under his belt. Putting Hosmer in the lineup gives them a power core of Hosmer, Myers, Manuel Margot and Chase Headley, which isn't great, but it's definitely a start for a team that wants to chase the remaining four teams for a playoff berth.
Only thing is I don't think the contract's supposed to benefit the Padres in 2018. Having Hosmer there is supposed to cement things, so that this team can BUILD to a playoff squad. Sad to say, but the Padres are dead last on the totem pole this year, and will only grow as the Rockies fall apart, the Dodgers' core ages, the Giants finally decide to give up Buster Posey, and the Diamondbacks win a few more playoff matches. Signing Hosmer is gonna give them some nice stuff this year, but nothing that will move mountains, which will upset some Padres fans.
Still, it's a pretty damn big move, and it makes sure that everybody in the NL West has a stake in what's surely gonna be a bloodthirsty battle for relevancy in 2018.
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