The San Diego Padres may not have much time to wait around this offseason.
With an MLB lockout looming, the club appears to be working against the clock to get free-agent business done before any changes to baseball’s current pay structure can hit. That urgency could shape the way San Diego operates from the jump.
President of baseball operations AJ Preller said the focus right now is getting ready for what comes next and being prepared to act when the market starts to take shape.
“The biggest thing we’re focused on is what our strategy is going to be - how prepared we’re going to be for that,” Preller said. “That’s what we focus on. And then we’ll get a feel for the market that first week in November -the next couple weeks and definitely right around GM meeting time [Nov. 9-12] - then be prepared to move on things that we think make sense for us.”
Preller enters the offseason with a new ownership group behind him, and the sense inside the organization is that those owners want to help push San Diego back toward October baseball. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee, there is optimism that the new group will put more capital into the roster and move quickly.
“According to people inside the organization, preliminary conversations have indicated the Padres will be more proactive this offseason,” Acee wrote. “That could mean pouncing early in the offseason.”
That would mark a different kind of offseason than the ones built around trimming money and balancing a heavy payroll. The expectation, per Acee, is not that San Diego will simply keep spending at the level that pushed the payroll to the third-highest mark under late owner Peter Seidler.
Still, if there’s one executive equipped to navigate a more calculated approach, it’s Preller. He has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most aggressive decision-makers, but he’s also shown he can work smart on a budget when needed.
Jackson Merrill’s team-friendly long-term contract is one example. So is the club finding value on the margins, like bringing in Ty France on a minor league deal this past offseason.
The roster picture is wide open, and that creates opportunity as much as it creates work. The Padres have a long list of free agents, the rotation needs to be rebuilt, and the bats that join the lineup will depend on who returns and what kind of offers are out there.
With plenty of options available in free agency, moving early could help set the tone for what comes next. For San Diego, that first wave of action may end up being the difference between simply reacting to the market and shaping it.
In Other News...
Former Padres Rotation Question Could Be Back On The Market Soon
The Cardinals are heading into an offseason where activity feels likely, and that matters well beyond St. Louis. Under president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, the club is expected to keep working both the free-agent and trade markets as it continues its rebuilding process, which has already turned attention toward a handful of names who could help reshape the roster. Among the players discussed are pitchers and position players with varying levels of upside, including one former Padres rotation question who could soon be available again.
For Padres fans, the interest is less about the Cardinals themselves and more about the ripple effect. A player San Diego once had to evaluate for its rotation is part of a broader group of six potential additions being weighed in St. Louis, a sign that the winter market could open up familiar faces and fresh possibilities alike. If the Cardinals do get aggressive, the next few months may create another chance for clubs around the league to revisit names that once sat much closer to home. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Suddenly Have A Rare Bullpen Option Worth Watching
As the Padres sort through a pitching staff that could look different in short order, one interesting name has surfaced in the background: Kona Takahashi. The 29-year-old right-hander from Japan is a free agent, and his profile fits a club that may need arms who can cover multiple innings while the front office weighs who is staying, who is leaving and who needs medical review.
Takahashi is not officially tied to San Diego, but he stands out for a couple of reasons the Padres would care about. He brings a starter-style workload into a bullpen conversation, and because there is no posting fee attached, he represents the kind of lower-friction pitching option teams sometimes circle when they expect turnover and need flexibility more than flash. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Could Face A Costly Fix For Their Biggest Rotation Need
The Padres head into the offseason with their rotation suddenly looking thinner than it did a few weeks ago, and the early playoff exit only sharpened the focus on what comes next. Several starters are headed for free agency, which leaves A.J. Preller facing a familiar winter challenge: finding dependable innings at the top and middle of the staff while the club tries to keep its competitive window open.
One name that fits the search is Drew Rasmussen, who has built a case as one of the more attractive arms on the market if Tampa Bay ever makes him available. His recent performance and postseason track record make him a logical target for a Padres team in need of stability, but that kind of pitching rarely comes cheap, and a deal for Rasmussen would likely require a sizable trade package to get done. [Read more 🡒]