The Padres will start the 2022 season with an opening-day payroll north of $205 million, pushing spending to new heights for the second year in a row and a third time in the last four years.
It's no surprise these days.
Once entrenched as a bottom-third spender, the Padres joined the Dodgers in crossing last year's luxury tax threshold, added payroll on the margins of the roster this offseason and have not been able to dump any of their burdensome contracts.
