Several AJ Preller 2024 moves paid off massively in Padres' dominant series win

If you look all across baseball, you won't find another general manager whose moves made more of an impact during the 2024 season than San Diego Padres general manager AJ Preller. It is rare that any GM seemingly hits (almost) all the right buttons, but Preller came shockingly close.

He got a strong return for trading Juan Soto away; Dylan Cease was a stud for the Padres; Luis Arráez won a batting title; and San Diego's remade bullpen became arguably the best unit in the league. That is quite the season of work and it isn't even the full list.

Ultimately, what matters most to fans is performing in the playoffs. Sure, the Padres have been a great story this season and it is remarkable what they have done after losing so many star-level players last offseason. However, another early exit from the postseason would have killed those vibes almost immediately no matter how good Preller's moves looked in the regular season.

Fortunately, the Padres came up big when they needed to, as not only did they take down the Braves in convincing fashion in the first round, but a number of their acquisitions this season played pivotal roles along the way.

Padres' slew of 2024 roster moves paid huge dividends in series win over the Braves

The Padres' first-round win over the Braves was truly a team effort. Fernando Tatis Jr. had a monster series and Jackson Merrill (who Preller deserves some credit for as well) bolstered his case as the best rookie in the National League this year. Joe Musgrove's injury was unfortunate and the bullpen bent a bit in Game 2, but nearly all of the other news on the Padres' front was good.

A closer look shows just how much Preller's influence helped deliver that series win. Arráez was a surprise early-season trade acquisition and was an absolute pest vs the Braves atop the lineup. Michael King looked like a bonafide ace in Game 1 and he was just one piece of the return for Soto last offseason.

Another Soto trade piece who was considered a bit of an afterthought at the time, Kyle Higashioka, homered in both games while expertly managing the pitching staff. The Padres' decision to go out and acquire Tanner Scott at the trade deadline was rewarded with a scoreless relief appearance in a very tight game.

The postseason can make us all prisoners of the moment and if the Padres get swept by the Dodgers, things could look very different next week. However, it sure looks like San Diego made a whole lot of great decisions that have put them in a position to make waves this October. After all, another key Padres acquisition, Dylan Cease, is very well-rested ahead of the NLDS against LA.

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