The Padres may have a lot of moving parts this offseason, but the clearest lineup question sits right in the middle of the infield and out in left field.
San Diego’s roster is more settled on the position-player side than it is on the mound, yet there are still enough openings to keep the front office busy. First base and left field look like the two spots most likely to be unsettled when the 2027 season opens, especially if the Padres don’t bring back some of their own free agents.
Ty France stands out as the biggest name in that group after a strong year in San Diego. He hit .295 with 21 home runs and 72 RBIs, finishing with an .865 OPS.
At 33 next season, he seems like the kind of player the Padres would prefer to retain on a shorter deal. The same general idea could apply to Ramon Laureano, and possibly Miguel Andujar as well.
Still, if France signs elsewhere, the Padres would have options to reshuffle things. One path would be moving another player to first base and filling the other opening with either an internal option or a free-agent addition.
In left field, Samad Taylor is a name to watch after handling the job well down the stretch, though there are questions about whether he can be an everyday player. San Diego could also start 2027 with Taylor there and use the season to find out what he can do in a larger role.
Laureano is another possible fit in left if the Padres decide to go that direction. But as with so much of this roster construction, the answer may come down to money.
That’s because the pitching staff is the bigger looming issue. The Padres are staring at a rotation that could look dramatically different in 2027, with Nick Pivetta, Michael King, Robbie Ray, Walker Buehler and Casey Mize all potentially elsewhere next season.
King is the priority of the group, and the clearest target for San Diego. He has been the ace of the staff and has pitched well since arriving.
How the Padres handle that situation could shape everything else. If the rotation eats up most of the offseason resources, the club may have to lean into a bargain-hunting approach for the open lineup spots.
Even so, San Diego has plenty of thump already in place with Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill, Gavin Sheets and the emerging Ethan Salas. That gives AJ Preller some room to work while the Padres try to sort out the rest.
As always, the winter will tell the story of what Preller puts together.
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For Padres fans, the concern is not just whether King is worth that kind of commitment, but whether another club with a clear rotation need and room to spend decides to jump in first. The Cardinals have been mentioned as a team weighing both their pitching needs and payroll flexibility, and if they get serious, San Diego could be staring at a familiar offseason question: how hard is it willing to push to keep a pitcher who already proved he can matter in its rotation? [Read more 🡒]