SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres faced a daunting task during the off-season after a disappointing 82-80 finish in 2023. First, they needed to backfill for a free-agent class that included Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, All-Star closer Josh Hader and reliable starter Seth Lugo. Then, they decided to trade generational talent Juan Soto, after paying such a high price to get him from the Washington Nationals two summers ago, ahead of his $31-million walk year. And then they had to remain competitive in the suddenly deep National League West, all while cutting payroll. “We’ve had some really...