San Diego Padres

San Diego has traded Juan Soto and Trent Grisham to the New York Yankees in exchange for five players: Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, and Kyle Higashioka. (Source: Joel Sherman)

Fantasy Impact: There were rumors that the Padres would try to move the 25-year-old phenom for his last year before hitting free agency, and they found a deal with the Yankees. Soto brings elite batting skills; in 2023, he hit 35 HR with 109 RBI, 97 runs, and 12 stolen bases while slashing .275/.421/.524. He will slot into a lineup that needs an offensive boost; New York slashed .227/.304/.397 as a team last year. (Aaron Judge was limited to 106 games.) No matter where he plays, Soto is a first-round talent in fantasy baseball. And now, he will be showcasing his skills heading into his first free-agency contract on the biggest stage in baseball. Soto is poised for a monster year in the Bronx.

The Guardians have acquired RP Scott Barlow from the Padres in exchange for Engel De Los Santos. (Source: Guardians on Twitter )

Fantasy Impact: Barlow struggled last season, pitching to a 4.37 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP in 63 appearances. The veteran pitched well as a member of the Royals, so the Guardians could be looking to recapture some of that magic.

Padres first baseman/designated hitter Matt Carpenter has exercised his 2024 player option. (Source: MLB Transaction Tracker on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: As a result, the veteran will earn $5.5 million for the 2024 campaign. Carpenter largely served as the Padres' DH against right-handed pitching in 2023, hitting just .176 with five home runs and a .641 OPS across 76 games.

Manny Machado is absent from the lineup for the San Diego Padres against the Chicago White Sox Saturday. (Source: San Diego Padres on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Machado will sit out for general rest, with Juan Soto occupying the designated hitter spot and batting third against the White Sox for manager Bob Melvin Saturday.

Josh Hader had a slightly bumpy outing in Friday's game against the White Sox, surrendering one earned run on one hit and one walk in his lone inning of work.

Fantasy Impact: Despite this, Hader's overall season performance remains impressive, with a stellar 1.30 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and a remarkable 13.66 K/9 rate over 60 games. Hader is set to be a free agent before the 2024 season.

Martinez delivered an impressive outing against the White Sox, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out eight over five shutout innings.

Fantasy Impact: The right-hander showcased excellent command, throwing 76 pitches and not surrendering any earned runs. This performance further solidifies Martinez's fantasy value, as he now boasts a 3.43 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP on the season. The 33-year-old is subject to a club option for the 2024 season.

Waldron pitched six solid innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two Wednesday.

Fantasy Impact: Waldron has enjoyed a nice run for the Padres over the season's final month, Going back to Aug. 31, the 27-year-old righty has made six appearances (four starts), posting a 3.69 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 24-to-8 K/BB ratio across 31 2/3 innings. Waldron has positioned himself as a potential option for the Padres' pitching staff in 2024.

Seth Lugo turned in a masterful performance against the Giants on Tuesday, delivering eight shutout innings while allowing just three hits and three walks.

Fantasy Impact: Lugo's strong outing included seven strikeouts and showcased his ability to keep hitters off balance. With this stellar performance, Lugo continues to solidify his fantasy value as a reliable option for managers in need of quality starts and strikeouts. Lugo now has a solid 3.57 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP over 26 appearances this season, and his impressive strikeout rate of 8.6 K/9 further enhances his fantasy appeal.

Despite the loss, Blake Snell continued his strong season, delivering another impressive outing as he looks to win his second career Cy Young award.

Fantasy Impact: In six innings of work, Snell allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out seven batters. With this performance, Snell maintained his excellent 2.25 ERA and 1.19 WHIP for the season. His 11.7 K/9 rate also remained impressive, showcasing his ability to generate strikeouts consistently. Although the Padres fell short in a close 2-1 game, Snell's solid outing should provide fantasy managers with confidence moving forward.

Xander Bogaerts returns to the lineup for the San Diego Padres against the Oakland Athletics Friday. (Source: San Diego Padres on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Bogaerts is back after receiving Wednesday night off for general rest, batting fifth and starting at shortstop for manager Bob Melvin against the Athletics Friday night.

Luis Campusano had a strong performance in Wednesday's game against the Dodgers, driving in three runs with two hits, including a home run.

Fantasy Impact: This performance highlights his ability to contribute offensively, as he now has 24 RBI on the season. With a solid batting average of .298 and six home runs in 41 games played, Campusano has shown potential as a valuable fantasy option at the catcher position. While he has yet to steal a base this season, his ability to drive in runs and contribute in power categories makes him a player to watch moving forward.

Tatis Jr. had a solid performance in Tuesday's game, going 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI.

Fantasy Impact: However, the Padres were unable to overcome the dominant performance by the Dodgers, resulting in an 11-2 loss. Tatis Jr.'s season-long stats show a decent all-around production, with a .259 batting average, 24 home runs, 72 RBI, and 25 stolen bases. Tatis Jr. remains a valuable fantasy asset with his power and speed combination.

In Tuesday's game against the Dodgers, Michael Wacha had a rough outing, lasting only four innings while allowing seven hits, three walks, and seven earned runs.

Fantasy Impact: With this poor performance, Wacha's season ERA rose to 3.43 and his WHIP increased to 1.21. Although he had been having a solid season with 11, fantasy managers may want to proceed with caution when considering starting Wacha in future matchups.

Padres manager Bob Melvin said Yu Darvish has been shut down for the season. (Source: AJ Cassavell on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Darvish finishes his season with a 4.56 ERA across 24 starts. He will look to get fully healthy for next year.

The Padres have placed Rich Hill on waivers. (Source: Joel Sherman on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: San Diego is reportedly looking to see if someone will pick Hill up for the last few weeks of the season. If not, he will remain with the Padres.

Avila's rough outing on Monday, allowing 7 earned runs in just 2.2 innings pitched, raises concerns about his reliability moving forward.

Fantasy Impact: With a season ERA of 3.63 and a WHIP of 1.49, Avila has largely been solid but some positive regression kicked in on Monday. He also posted an unsightly 8.57 ERA/7.06 FIP in 55 2/3 innings at Triple-A this season as he should be left off the fantasy radar moving forward.

Jurickson Profar has had his contract selected by the Padres. (Source: San Diego Padres on X)

Fantasy Impact: Profar was released by the Rockies but quickly signed a minor league deal with the Padres. He will now get another shot on the big-league club in a bench role for the rest of the season. He hit .239 with 8 home runs and 40 RBI with the Rockies in 2023.

Gary Sanchez has been placed on the 10-day IL due to a right wrist fracture, retroactive to 9/7. (Source: San Diego Padres on X)

Fantasy Impact: Sanchez's bounce-back season comes to an end after being hit by a pitch during Wednesday's game. He ends 2023 with 19 home runs and a .218/.292/.500 slash line.

Jake Cronenworth has been placed on the 10-day IL due to a right wrist fracture. (Source: San Diego Padres on X)

Fantasy Impact: Cronenworth was removed from Friday's game after being hit by a pitch on the wrist, and now we know that it resulted in a fracture. It's unclear how long he will be forced to miss, but there is a possibility that this could end his season with the Padres seemingly out of playoff contention.

Joe Musgrove (shoulder) is scheduled to play catch on Friday. (Source: MLB.com)

Fantasy Impact: This will mark the first time Musgrove has thrown since being placed on the IL due to right shoulder capsule inflammation. It's still unclear if he will return to the mound this season, and it's possible that the Padres will remain cautious if they are out of the playoff hunt.