The Padres may be staring at a bullpen shakeup this offseason, and the list of possible departures is long enough to cause real concern. Adrian Morejon is on track to become a free agent, with Jason Adam also set to reach the open market. Beyond that, Yuki Matsui, Wandy Peralta, and Kyle Hart all have options for 2027.
The biggest worry is the left-handed side of the relief mix. Morejon, Matsui, Peralta, and Hart formed a major part of San Diego’s dominant bullpen this year, and losing any of them would hurt.
Losing all four would be a much bigger hit. Adam’s potential exit only adds to the uncertainty.
That makes bullpen depth a clear offseason priority for the Padres. And one possible internal answer is already making noise in the organization.
Francis Peña has pushed his way back into the conversation with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. He was once viewed as one of the club’s better pitching prospects, but his stock took a major hit after rough results at Triple-A.
Across 68 innings at that level between 2024-25, he posted a 5.03 ERA. By Opening Day this year, he had been sent back down to Double-A and had largely disappeared from the major-league picture.
Peña steadied himself at San Antonio, where he put together a 3.05 ERA and 4.04 FIP with a 27.1 strikeout rate. That performance earned him a second trip to the AFL, after he also appeared there in 2023.
This time, the results have been much better. After struggling in six appearances three years ago with a 7.36 ERA, Peña has strung together six straight scoreless outings. He has also recorded eight strikeouts against just two walks, a sign that his control has come a long way after being plagued by free passes.
Unless things unravel in the final stretch of the fall league, Peña should be named a Fall Star and get a chance to face the league’s top hitters. That would give the Padres another important data point as they evaluate whether he’s ready to move back to Triple-A.
He still has to prove it there before any big-league opportunity opens up. But if this version of Peña holds, he could become exactly the kind of relief arm that helps soften the blow of whatever exits San Diego faces this winter.
In Other News...
Padres Cant Afford To Move Jeremiah Estrada For Just Anything
The Padres have spent plenty of time looking for ways to juice an offense that can too often leave the pitching staff carrying the load, and Jeremiah Estrada has emerged as one of the more interesting chips in that conversation. The right-hander has given San Diego value out of the bullpen, but the idea of moving him has real appeal only if it helps land an everyday bat who can make a lineup upgrade feel lasting rather than cosmetic.
Estrada is not the kind of arm the Padres should move simply to check off a need. His recent performance, injury background and contract situation all make him a meaningful piece of the roster, which means any deal would have to bring back substantial offensive help. San Diego can talk itself into bullpen depth later, but if it turns Estrada into a trade, the return has to reflect how hard it is to replace a reliable reliever and how badly the lineup could use a difference-maker. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Just Made A Pitching Staff Move Padres Fans Will Notice
The Padres are losing a familiar voice in their pitching room, as Ben Fritz has agreed to become the Diamondbacks lead pitching coach after spending the past decade in San Diego. Fritz had been the clubs bullpen coach since 2015 and joined the major-league staff in 2020, making him one of the more established holdovers around a staff that has gone through plenty of turnover over the years.
Fritz also drew interest elsewhere, including an interview with the Rockies, before taking Arizonas offer, which makes the move stand out even more for a Padres team trying to keep continuity in place. Manager Craig Stammen praised Fritzs impact on the bullpen and said he hopes most of the coaching staff returns next season, but this is still a notable change for a group that has leaned on Fritzs presence for a long time. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Rotation Need Just Got More Complicated In Free Agency
The Padres offseason already had enough moving parts, and the rotation picture only got murkier once the free-agent market opened. San Diego lost 10 players to free agency, including Michael King after he opted out of his contract, leaving the club with a clear need to reshape the pitching staff before next season.
Robbie Ray adds another layer to the uncertainty. Acquired in midseason, the veteran left-hander is now a free agent himself, and one projection has him landing a two-year, $45 million deal. His stint in San Diego did not meet expectations, which only strengthens the sense that the Padres could look elsewhere for rotation help rather than banking on a reunion. [Read more 🡒]