Top 5 payroll, top 3 offense (or be trying to improve it), a lot of it is more effort than results for me. Certainly not rolling over Verdugo year after year becuase "but I wubbbbb him", certainly not refusing to sign elite hitters when you have 0 because you cant accept that you made a bad investment on yoshida.
Certainly not trying to fill every hole with bounceback candidates.
Since we cut back on payroll (and its not just payroll its also effort):
third / 5(2019)
last / 5 (2020)
second / 5 (2021)
last / 5 (2022)
last / 5 (2023
Third / 5 (2024)
Third / 5 (2025)
This is since theyve started being fine with just having mediocre players like Verdugo and Yoshida and why woudl we need Schwarber, weve got Yoshida and Casas! Thats what youve been doing, third and last place finishes are what you are getting. THe era of complacency!
Fix it and sign Schwarber or get boo'd forever.