The Padres’ offseason picture starts with the obvious stuff - the rotation, the front end of the roster, the big decisions that usually get the loudest attention. But if San Diego wants to keep its edge, the bullpen and the lineup can’t be afterthoughts.
That’s where ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez sees two familiar names sticking around: Adrian Morejon and Ty France.
Gonzalez predicts the Padres will re-sign Morejon, who posted a 2.38 ERA, and bring back France, who finished with a .865 OPS. In Gonzalez’s view, the fit is clean and the need is real.
"The Padres find a way to bring Morejon back, pairing him with Mason Miller in the back end of their bullpen to continue to shut down games," Gonzalez predicts. "Another guess: They also bring back France, who signed a minor league deal and performed like one of the game's best first basemen in 2026. The Padres need them both."
San Diego could lose both players and still put together a strong club next season. But that would leave real holes.
Morejon isn’t the closer, but he has become a crucial piece, the kind of left-handed arm that changes how a late inning feels. Pairing him with Mason Miller would give the Padres a nasty finish to games, and that’s exactly why he’s going to draw plenty of free agent interest.
France is the trickier case. He came in on a minor league deal last offseason and turned into a major surprise, producing like a superstar for San Diego in 2026. The question now is how much of that season teams around the league believe was for real.
That uncertainty could work in the Padres’ favor. A player coming off a huge year usually has plenty of traction on the open market, but France may not get the same kind of buzz because of the doubts surrounding his 2026 breakout. San Diego, having seen it up close, may be in the best position to trust what it got.
If the Padres can keep both France and Morejon, it would be a major win for a front office working under new ownership. Michael King and the rotation remain major questions, but getting those two back would be a strong first move as the next era begins.
In Other News...
Padres Deadline Gamble Became A Frustrating Miss When It Mattered Most
When San Diego went shopping at the deadline, it was looking for help that could stabilize the roster and deepen the pitching mix for the stretch run. The Padres came away with pitcher Casey Mize and infielder Gage Workman from Detroit, parting with prospects Kash Mayfield and Jackson Wolf in a move that was supposed to make sense in the moment and look even better later.
Instead, the deal has been hard to defend as the season has played out. Mize never found much traction after arriving in San Diego, and the expected boost on the mound never really materialized before an ankle injury sent him to the injured list. What was framed as a calculated gamble now reads more like a frustrating miss, especially with the Padres having paid real prospect capital for a return that fell well short of what they needed. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Suddenly Linked To An Outfield Move That Could Test Tatis
The Padres offseason search for offense may already have a familiar name attached to it. MLB insider Robert Murray of FanSided reported that San Diego could pursue a trade for Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan, a two-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner who has long made sense as the kind of contact-heavy, high-floor player the Padres have tended to value when looking at ways to stabilize the lineup and the outfield.
Kwan would not just be another depth add, though. San Diego has shown past interest in him, and if the club seriously pushes in that direction, it could force some real thought about how the batting order is constructed around Fernando Tatis Jr. for next season, which is part of what makes this rumor worth watching as the winter market develops. [Read more 🡒]
Michael King Just Addressed The Padres Question Fans Keep Asking
Michael Kings postseason run naturally stirred up the kind of contract chatter that follows any pitcher who looks like hes raised his value on the biggest stage. For Padres fans, the question has lingered because King is not just another arm in the rotation, he has become one of the most important pieces of the staff and a pitcher the organization would prefer to keep in place.
King addressed the speculation directly and made clear he would like to stay in San Diego, describing the city as a second home. The contract mechanics still leave room for a decision down the road, with money and timing set to become a bigger part of the conversation as the deal moves forward, but for now the more interesting part is the tone King set after the season: he sounded like someone who wants this to keep going. [Read more 🡒]