What's next for Padres after Bogaerts deal?

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On Friday, Xander Bogaerts finalized his 11-year deal with the Padres, a contract with no opt-outs and a no-trade clause that will keep him in San Diego through the 2033 season. To me, the aftermath of that deal is just as fascinating as the contract itself.

Bogaerts is an outstanding player, a .292/.356/.458 career hitter through 10 big league seasons. By all accounts, he’s also an outstanding clubhouse presence, and his arrival has been met with plenty of excitement from his new teammates.

That said, Bogaerts’ arrival creates a few riddles for the Padres -- both positionally and regarding how they will approach the remainder of their offseason. Here’s a look at what’s next after the Bogaerts deal:

1. Fernando Tatis Jr. is bound for a position change

This is the most notable side effect for the Padres. Twenty-two months ago, they signed Tatis to a record-setting 14-year extension, envisioning he’d be their shortstop of the future. San Diego now has a new shortstop of the future. And, sure, Bogaerts is already 30 and will likely shift from short at some point during his contract, but it’s not hard to see the writing on the wall for Tatis.

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The Padres also have quite a deep infield outside of Bogaerts. Tatis, meanwhile, is an elite athlete with incredible quick-burst speed. Sure sounds like he’d have the makeup to be an excellent outfielder, were he to focus his efforts there.

"He could play anywhere," said Padres manager Bob Melvin. "I mean, I'm not going to put him behind the plate. But he could play anywhere, in probably any sport. He's as athletic and talented a guy as there is in the game. He's the type of guy that's going to fill any hole he’s potentially needed in."

2. The infield mix is destined for a shakeup

On paper, that shakeup is simple enough. Ha-Seong Kim has been outstanding at short, but those skills translate directly to second base. Jake Cronenworth has already proven he’s capable of handling just about any spot in the infield, including first base. So it’s easy to envision an alignment with Manny Machado, Bogaerts, Kim and Cronenworth from left to right.

I’m not sure it’ll be that simple. San Diego remains in search of a first baseman, and I don’t think the club intends for that first baseman to merely serve as the designated hitter every night. If the Padres could land a decent enough defender at first, they’d have some flexibility in the infield. First and foremost, it’d give Melvin a chance to regularly rotate through the DH spot. It’d also allow San Diego to account for the best possible matchups, perhaps sitting Kim on occasion against tough right-handers.

3. The Padres still need a bat -- probably two

One through four, San Diego has the best lineup in baseball. Five through nine? There’s work to do.

The way I see it, San Diego could use at least two more bats -- and because they’re already solid up the middle, it’s really not important what position those bats play. Still, there’s at least one starting spot available at designated hitter. On top of that, the Padres could use another outfielder, perhaps a platoon with Trent Grisham. (If Tatis were capable of sliding between center and a corner, that platoon partner wouldn’t need to play center.)

Remember, Tatis won’t be available for the first 20 games of the season, and injuries have plagued him throughout his career. Grisham, meanwhile, struggled mightily at the plate last year. The Padres would be well-served to acquire depth, especially considering the state of their bench in the playoffs last year.