The San Diego Padres are in store for a telling offseason this winter. After a 90-win 2025 campaign, its second consecutive 90+ win season, San Diego doesn’t look to have all avenues available to build off a postseason appearance.

As it so often does, it all comes down to finances – and finances aren’t looking great for the Padres right now. The club itself may not even be owned by the Seidler family when the 2026 season starts, as reports indicate the family is exploring options for the team, including a possible sale.

The Padres already owe $126.9 million to six players in 2026, severely limiting their options in the free agent market this winter. With that said, the club is reportedly open to trading away some of its players, such as starting pitcher Nick Pivetta, who is set to make $19.75 million next season.

With an already thin starting rotation, trading Pivetta away would only further the need for rotational reinforcements. There are plenty of such options still available in free agency, but none other than the left-handed Framber Valdez. He’s ranked as the best starter still on the market by Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter, and the Padres could be a team to watch in the coming weeks in Valdez talks.

Valdez entered free agency after eight years with the Houston Astros, during which he was a two-time All-Star and finished in the top five for the Cy Young award once. In 2025 with the Astros, Valdez recorded a 3.66 ERA across 192 innings.

Though it was a noticeable step back from his sub-3.00 ERA 2024 season, the 32-year-old still has teams vying for his services this winter. His sinking fastball has consistently been one of the best in baseball, allowing him to get more damage out of his curveball and changeup.

The question is whether the Padres can compete with other teams across the MLB for Valdez’s arm. Being the top arm still on the market, Valdez will require a hefty contract, something San Diego may not be in a position to provide.

It’s not quite out of the question, however. If the Padres trade Pivetta and his nearly $20 million salary, suddenly a deal for Valdez wouldn’t be as damaging. Considering how desperate they may be for starting pitching, if general manager A.J. Preller and the Padres are to pull the trigger on a big splash, doing so on the best available starter is where it would happen.

With an estimated market value average annual salary of $33 million, the Padres would have to muster up the funds from somewhere. Whether that’s from shedding salary in trades or simply committing to their win-now core, there is an avenue for San Diego to land one of baseball’s biggest arms.