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Greetings from Dallas, where the 2024 Winter Meetings got underway with a huge bit of news late last night:

Juan Soto will sign a 15-year contract with the Mets, sources told MLB.com¡¯s Mark Feinsand. The agreement comes one year and one day after the Padres traded Soto to the Yankees. At yet another Winter Meetings, he is dominating the headlines.

The craziest part? When the Padres were in the process of moving Soto last year, it truly felt like there was no chance they could recoup fair value for him. Soto is one of the sport's premier sluggers, right in the middle of his prime.

And yet, I think the Padres got precisely what they needed in that deal. It's difficult to envision what this team would've looked like without the pitching it acquired in that seven-player blockbuster.

San Diego landed Michael King and Drew Thorpe (who would become the top prospect sent to the White Sox in the Dylan Cease deal). Both King and Cease finished in the top seven of National League Cy Young Award voting. Both King and Cease will be back for the 2025 season, along with Jhony Brito and Randy Vásquez who also came over in that deal.

Soto, meanwhile, was always determined to hit free agency after 2024. The fact that the Padres managed to bring back such value in trading him away is a credit to general manager A.J. Preller.

In any case, the Padres still have plenty to accomplish this winter. Without further ado, here¡¯s a look at the team's five biggest needs, ranked:

1. Starting pitcher: The front end of the San Diego rotation is excellent. But there are currently two vacancies at the back end, following Joe Musgrove's elbow surgery and the departure of Mart¨ªn P¨¦rez. The Padres figure to be among the most active teams in pursuit of Roki Sasaki. But they'll presumably need more than one arm.

2. A corner bat: Both Jurickson Profar and the Padres have expressed interest in a reunion. But Profar remains a free agent, and it's possible his market will pick up now that Soto has made a decision. But whether it's Profar or somebody else, the Padres could use a middle-of-the-order type bat somewhere in their lineup.

3. A catcher (or two): On the Padres' 40-man roster, Luis Campusano and Brett Sullivan are the only returning backstops. Campusano found himself in Triple-A by season¡¯s end. Sullivan is a depth piece. Neither of those two cracked the playoff roster. So even if the Padres chose to give Campusano another crack at a starting role -- and that¡¯s certainly no guarantee -- they¡¯d need to add at least one backup. Kyle Higashioka, who recently signed with Texas, is off the table.

4. A reliever, preferably a lefty: The Padres' bullpen figures to be excellent next season. It was excellent down the stretch in 2024 and returns essentially the entire group, minus standout Tanner Scott. A reunion with Scott, who figures to command a closer's salary, seems unlikely. In his absence, the Padres could use another lefty who they trust in high-leverage innings. Right now, only Adrian Morejon fills that role.

5. Bench: Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Padres¡¯ 2024 roster was its bench. It was by far the deepest team in Preller¡¯s tenure, with David Peralta and Donovan Solano playing key roles. With both hitting free agency, the Padres must find those types of contributors again in ¡¯25. There will be playing time available, presumably at DH and in pinch-hitting roles.