Talent drain and financial woes leave San Diego reeling. Can GM Preller conjure magic to escape disaster and contend?
After a 90-win season in 2025 that resulted in a Wild Card exit, the San Diego Padres were expected to make significant additions this offseason that would set up a deeper postseason run in 2026.
Instead, the Padres first found themselves in search of a new manager after Mike Shildt stepped down. Since then, their offseason has been defined by financial limitations. It’s been the cause for key players like starter Dylan Cease, reliever Robert Suarez, and first baseman Ryan O’Hearn walking in free agency.
San Diego was able to retain starter Michael King and bring in Korean infield talent Sung Mun Song, but they are still left in a worse place than they entered the offseason. It’s no surprise that the Padres found their way onto Zachary D. Rymer’s recent Bleacher Report article listing the teams on disaster watch this offseason.
“It's therefore hard to make the case that the Padres are a better team now than they were at the end of the 2025 season,” Rymer wrote. “They might even be worse, and that is the last thing they can afford to be in their never-ending game of catchup to the Dodgers.”
It hasn’t been great for the Friars thus far, watching more talent leave than be retained or brought in. If they want to compete for the NL West division title yet again, the rest of the offseason will need to see a significant shakeup in San Diego.
Finding their way off the disaster watch list may not be easy for the Padres, but it’s not impossible. General manager A.J. Preller has worked his magic before, and fans are counting on him to make something out of nothing once again.
If Preller can add at least one starting pitcher to their currently thin rotation, the Padres would be in a much better place. With Yu Darvish out for the season and Joe Musgrove set to pitch for the first time since 2024, having an extra arm in the rotation is crucial in keeping the Padres afloat next season.
San Diego could also use another bat in their lineup, especially with the expected loss of first baseman Luis Arraez. Though they’re already over the luxury tax threshold, the Padres could use somebody like Jake Cronenworth and his contract to bring back a key contributor or two that they aren’t willing to dish out the money for in free agency. It may be a tricky path to get out of disaster territory, but there’s light at the end of the tunnel for Preller and the Padres.