Why did the Padres sign Jurickson Profar? San Diego adds 10-year MLB veteran despite being well outside of playoff hunt

The San Diego Padres have not given up on pushing for the postseason, no matter how difficult that task will be. The team announced that they have signed veteran utilityman Jurickson Profar to a minor-league deal. The 30-year-old will be joining Triple-A El Paso, before potentially joining San Diego's major league roster before the end of the regular season.

Earlier this week, the veteran was released by the Colorado Rockies but he has quickly landed on his feet by signing a minor-league deal with the Padres. Profar previously played for the club from 2020 to 2022, making the reunion with San Diego one based on either familiarity or desperation.

"Was it just me that missed this? Padres signed Jurickson Profar to a minor league contract yesterday and are listing him as a third baseman" - @TalkingFriars

After entering the 2023 campaign with World Series aspirations, San Diego has fallen well short of expectations. Prior to Friday's action, the Friars sat with a 62-73 record, leaving them 8.5 games out of the final National League Wild Card spot.

The addition of Profar could ultimately lead to nothing, as the veteran will need to prove himself at the Triple-A before earning a promotion to the MLB. That being said, with the San Diego Padres having a 0.5% chance of reaching the postseason according to FanGraphs, there is no reason not to try everything.

The fact that the Colorado Rockies are on the hook for the remainder of Jurickson Profar's contract makes the move a no-brainer for the struggling ball club. In 111 games this year with the Rockies, the veteran has produced a lowly .236 batting average with eight home runs and 39 RBIs.

The San Diego Padres have been one of the most disappointing teams this season

The fact that the Friars are adding an underperforming Jurcikson Profar is a clear indication of the team's 2023 campaign. For a team that rosters some of the top players in the MLB, including Manny Machado, Juan Soto, and Fernando Tatis Jr., they have underperformed beyond all expectations.

To make matters worse, unless the team is able to extend some of their pending free agents, there is a chance that they will be without the likes of Josh Hader and Blake Snell next season. After entering the season with sky-high potential and expectations, things have been dreadful for the majority of the year.