Several Padres stars are on the move. Discover which key players could be traded to reshape the roster this offseason.
The San Diego Padres’ offseason has been surprisingly quiet thus far, but it doesn’t project to stay that way until spring training starts. In a recent piece from The Athletic by Dennis Lin, several Padres players were listed as trade candidates if/when general manager A.J. Preller decides to get involved in the trade market.
It’s already been known that the Padres have been open to trading away right-handed starting pitcher Nick Pivetta before the 2026 season, although no progress has been made on the front. It’s the same for reliever Mason Miller, whom the club traded for in July of last season.
Though Pivetta was great in San Diego last season, posting a 2.87 ERA across over 181 innings, he can opt out of his contract after next season, potentially making the Padres jump at the chance to get a return in value while they can. With San Diego’s need for starting pitching help, it’s expected that the Padres would need another pitcher or two in return in any Pivetta or Miller trade.
As Lin wrote in his article, there are more trade candidates in San Diego than Pivetta and Miller, however. He noted outfielder Ramon Laureano and reliever Adrian Morejon as players who have already seen their names come up in trade conversations this offseason.
Laureano spent 50 games in San Diego last season, but he made a strong impact in his short stay. He managed an .812 OPS at the plate while providing the Friars with some outfield depth. The Padres exercised the $6.5 million team option on Laureano’s contract earlier this offseason, and it seems they’ll look to use it to bring in additional assets with more pressing needs on the roster.
Morejon enjoyed his first All-Star season in 2025, recording a 2.08 ERA in 75 appearances for the Friars. With one more season to go before he hits free agency, the Padres are interested in getting some value in return for one of baseball’s best relievers before they are forced to extend him or watch him walk in next year's free agency.
Lin also mentioned the possibility of infielder Jake Cronenworth being included in a trade this offseason, as he’s owed over $60 million over the next five seasons. His higher salary being included in a trade could allow the Padres to bring in better talent in return. Reliever Jermiah Estrada has also drawn interest, but Lin noted it’s unlikely the Padres would be willing to trade the reliever unless they get standout starting pitching in return.
The lack of movement in San Diego in the first couple of months of the offseason seems to be the quiet before the storm. With several players drawing interest from other teams and a willingness to include key players in trade talks, the Padres are getting set up for a huge shakeup in the coming weeks.