Manny Machado believes the 2025 MLB season could hold great promise for the San Diego Padres, especially with the addition of a former New York Mets infielder who made the bold decision to leave everything behind and join him in leading the Friars to a postseason run.
According to Jon Heyman, the Mets have parted ways with José Iglesias, who will now feature in the Padres’ Opening Day roster—a move widely anticipated due to the Cuban player’s undeniable skill. Iglesias appeared in 85 games last year.
He won’t be the only new face supporting Machado for Opening Day. Alongside Iglesias, players like Yuli Gurriel, Gavin Sheets, and Martín Maldonado were also fortunate enough to make the roster cut.
Iglesias has struggled to find long-term stability with a team in recent years. Between 2013 and 2018, he played consecutively for the Tigers, marking his longest stint with a single MLB franchise. However, he remained unsigned by any team during the 2023 season.
The Padres’ Offense Needs More Power
Last season, the Padres finished with a 93-69-0 record, reaching the NLDS before being eliminated by the Dodgers. Despite evident offensive struggles in Game 2, the team managed to set a franchise record for the most home runs in a single postseason game.
Machado contributed 77 runs and a .275 batting average—matching the number of runs provided by Jackson Merrill. However, the Friars will deeply miss their top run provider, Jurickson Profar, who is no longer with the team. Profar produced a total of 94 runs last year.