The Padres’ catching picture changed fast, and now San Diego has more talent behind the plate than it knows what to do with.
Freddy Fermin got the first crack at the job, but the early results never really took. He spent most of his time as the starter hitting well below .200, and injuries complicated things even more with a couple of trips to the injured list.
Luis Campusano then stepped in and gave the Padres something they had been waiting for. His defense looked better this time around, and the bat showed up too. The club has long believed he could hit, and he delivered some big home runs late in the year.
Then Ethan Salas arrived.
Salas had dealt with injuries throughout his minor league career, but this season was different. He stayed healthy long enough to surge through the organization, and his late-year run with the Padres was short but loud. He set a couple of offensive records for a 20-year old receiver, and even if he looked overwhelmed at times, he also made it clear he’s ready for a full-time job.
That leaves San Diego with a real logjam. Fermin, now 31, looks like the most movable piece. He still brings value with his defense, and his $2.1 million arbitration salary fits what backup catchers usually make.
The more interesting call is what to do with Campusano and Salas. The cautious route would be simple: keep Campusano in the starting role and ease Salas into the mix. That would preserve one of the Padres’ biggest strengths.
But A.J. Preller is not exactly a cautious general manager.
Campusano is the kind of asset that could be used to address other offseason needs, and San Diego has plenty of those. He just finished a one-year deal worth $900K, and he remains under team control through 2029.
So the question hangs there: would Preller deal Campusano and hand the job to Salas? It would be a risky bet, especially if Salas runs into health issues again. Still, it’s also the sort of bold swing Preller might take if the right trade comes along.
And there’s another layer to this as well. The new ownership group will have its say, and the team still doesn’t know how willing it will be to spend going forward. Salas is a marketable future star, though, and giving him the spotlight would fit into that larger picture.
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 🡒]