The San Diego Padres are headed into the 2023 season with high hopes after defeating two National League powerhouses to advance to the NLCS.
The team made some key additions this offseason, adding Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha on the pitching side while also signing Xander Bogaerts, Nelson Cruz, and Matt Carpenter to bolster their lineup.
However, their starting rotation appears to be their greatest strength, as it includes three frontline pitchers in Blake Snell, Joe Musgrove, and Yu Darvish.
On Tuesday, Padres legend Jake Peavy talked about his old team on MLB Network and stated that he believes 2023 is the year they usurp the Los Angeles Dodgers at the top of the NL West, citing Snell and Musgrove as the X-factors.
Is this the year the @Padres win the NL West?@JakePeavy_22 breaks down how the two-headed monster of Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove will propel San Diego to the top of the standings. pic.twitter.com/lQ3rHRSZBN
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 29, 2023
Peavy talked about the fact that sometimes Snell struggles with his control and fails to throw strikes as a result, but that when he’s right, he can dominate on the mound and can record strikeouts with his arsenal of pitches.
Peavy said that if the Padres want to dethrone the Dodgers at the top of the division, they’ll need Snell to be on top of his game and be able to throw strikes.
The Padres legend then spoke about Musgrove and how dominant the right-hander has been year after year as the team’s true No. 1 starter.
He even went as far as to praise him for his calm demeanor, citing the incident in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series last year when New York Mets manager Buck Showalter asked umpires to check for substances.
Peavy praised Musgrove for staying calm and remaining focused despite the distraction.
NEXT: Juan Soto Reveals How He Is Feeling For Opening Day
