The San Diego Padres are set to welcome back Xander Bogaerts to the shortstop position in 2025, following manager Mike Shildt's recent announcement. This shift comes on the heels of Ha-Seong Kim's departure to the Tampa Bay Rays, where he signed a free-agent contract. Bogaerts, originally brought in as a shortstop before the 2023 season, shifted to second base last year while Kim took over at shortstop.

As Bogaerts transitions back to shortstop, he will look to recapture the form exhibited during his first decade in the league. Despite struggling at the plate last season with a .264 batting average and battling a significant shoulder injury, Bogaerts previously enjoyed a career OPS+ of 117. He was a valuable asset defensively at second base, earning positive metrics from Statcast.

The upcoming season poses additional challenges for the Padres, who aim for a postseason berth for the fourth time in six years but might face cost-cutting pressures amidst an internal ownership struggle following the passing of owner Peter Seidler.