The 2023 season was supposed to be magical for the San Diego Padres, but so far, it has been nothing short of frustrating to witness. 

The Padres are built to win now.

Not just to be victorious in games, but the roster is constructed to win it all. Nothing less than a World Series trophy will be sufficient for this squad.

This is not an exaggeration.

With 53 games in the books, the team is currently five games under the .500 mark and half a game out of last place in the N.L. Western Division. This is not what A.J. Preller envisioned when he built this team. This was not the predicted outcome as the Padres once again added to the roster this past winter.

When you sign a player like Xander Bogaerts and add Fernando Tatis Jr. to the lineup, you are naturally expected to be better than the season before. A year in which the Padres nearly made it to the World Series, ultimately losing to the Phillies in the NLCS.

They are underperforming horrendously right now.

There are no excuses.

So, what is the answer? Is this 2023 season dead in the water, or is there still hope?

First off, baseball is not an exact science. It is challenging to build a winning team, and throwing money at the problem is not the answer. It never has been in the past, and it certainly isn’t now. How many seasons did we witness the Los Angeles Dodgers sign every big free agent on the market, only to fail in the end? It isn’t as easy as you think it is to compete in this league.

Chemistry is a huge part of the game. These men play together non-stop from March until October. That is eight straight months of seeing one another every day. Yes, they are professionals. And yes, they are paid handsomely for their services, but you can never remove the human element from the game. Players still need to perform, and more often than not, they only perform at their best ability when they are relaxed.

Is chemistry an issue for this Padres team?

That is difficult to proclaim without being a team member in that locker room, but you get a sense that something is wrong.

There is still time for the 2023 San Diego Padres to get back into the race. It is still late May, and the season is still in its infancy (roughly a third of the way complete). However, the clock is ticking. With four teams ahead of the Padres in their own division, they cannot continue to tread water. Playing at the .500 level will not get them out of the hole they put themselves in. It will take a winning streak. It will take a run in which this team plays to its capabilities.

There is always hope in baseball. The Padres have the talent to right the ship. But can they? Or will they be another over-hyped team incapable of performing at a high level?

Only time will tell.

For now, the majority of the fans will remain restless and bitter.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.