The Padres’ offseason could get messy fast, and not just because of free agency.
San Diego’s 2027 season ended the moment Trevor Megill got Gavin Sheets to chase strike three, sealing Milwaukee’s 3-1 win in Game 4 of the NL Division Series and wrapping up the Brewers’ 3-1 series victory. From there, the focus shifted immediately to what comes next - and the next chapter already has a cloud hanging over it.
The biggest issue is the looming lockout. According to reporting from Evan Drellich of The Athletic on Oct.
7, MLB’s central office has already started circulating the framework for what a lockout would mean, with a confidential memo sent to team executives on Oct. 1 laying out the basics: “Virtually all business between MLB players on 40-man rosters and their teams will halt until there’s a new deal. No trades, no signings.”
That would hit San Diego at a delicate time. The Padres entered the postseason with plenty of roster questions tied to the end of the 2026 season, especially on the pitching side. Walker Buehler, Robbie Ray and Casey Mize are all set to reach free agency, while Nick Pivetta and Michael King each have club or individual options that still need to be sorted out.
All of that is unfolding while the franchise adjusts to new majority owners Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones, whose $3.9 billion purchase was approved by the other 29 MLB owners in mid-August. Early signs from the new ownership group have been encouraging, from holding real press conferences with reporters to sitting in front-row seats and cheering on the team at home games.
But the lockout threat is the giant obstacle in the room.
The memo reportedly also told clubs to pull player photos and videos from official team and league sites, limit contact with players as much as possible - including skipping weddings and holiday cards if they can - and make sure offseason workout plans are communicated before the lockout begins, not after. It also said the major-league portion of the Rule 5 draft would likely be canceled.
One thing players would still be allowed to do is play elsewhere during the shutdown. MLB would not stop them from competing in Japan, South Korea or winter leagues, something some players did during the 2021-22 lockout.
For a Padres team already headed into a transition period, that’s a lot of uncertainty to absorb all at once.
In Other News...
Padres Suddenly Have A Bullpen Concern In The Middle Of The NLDS
The Padres found themselves navigating Game 3 of the National League Division Series without one of their most important relief arms, as Adrian Morejon was unavailable because of a shoulder issue, manager Craig Stammen said. Morejon had not pitched since Game 1, though he did throw off the mound Tuesday before being held out, leaving San Diego to piece together the late innings without one of the left-handers it has leaned on this October.
Mason Millers absence only added to the uncertainty in the bullpen picture, with the closer on the paternity list and unavailable for the game. For a Padres club trying to hold a tight postseason edge, the timing could hardly be worse, and the relief corps suddenly has more to sort through as the NLDS moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Playoff Crowd Drew Viral Attention For A Very Different Reason
Petco Park had the kind of October energy the Padres have been chasing for years, with a sellout crowd on hand for NLDS Game 3 against the Brewers and San Diego pulling out a 4-3 win. For a moment, though, one clip from the stands ended up drawing as much attention as anything that happened on the field.
A female Padres fan was caught on video using her smartphones digital zoom to focus on the rear end of an unidentified player, and the footage quickly spread online. What might have passed as an odd, fleeting moment at a playoff game turned into a broader debate among viewers about public conduct and the double standards that can come with it. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Just Sent A Worrying Bullpen Message Before Game 4
Michael Kings six-out rescue in Game 3 kept the Padres from staring at elimination, but it also highlighted how little margin San Diego has left as the NLDS shifts into Game 4. The Brewers strange road playoff skid, now up to 12 straight losses and tied for the longest in postseason history, only adds to the sense that this series is swinging on small edges, with every inning carrying the weight of the season.
For the Padres, the bigger worry is the bullpen picture behind King after he was pressed into extra work just to get them through the last game. San Diego still has a chance to keep this thing moving, but the way Game 3 unfolded made it clear the relief corps is being asked to cover plenty, and Game 4 will tell a lot about how much more it can absorb. [Read more 🡒]