5 things we've learned about the San Diego Padres 25% of the way through the season

The Padres have played 40 games. They've won exactly half of them. Last year at this time they were just a game off that pace at 19-21. So why does this season feel exponentially better than last season? Nobody is going to argue the 2024 roster is, top to bottom, more talented than the previous installment. That '23 club had a future Hall of Famer in Juan Soto and an eventual Cy Young winner in Blake Snell. It's almost impossible to replace pure talents like them. But I sure as heck will argue this team is superior. It's far from perfect but the mix is better. The chemistry is better. The vibes are better. And, because of all that, there is reason for optimism in San Diego. Now that we've moved