The Padres’ offseason churn is already rolling, and the latest transaction log update shows 11 position players heading into free agency. For a San Diego organization that has drawn plenty of criticism for its farm system and development in recent years, every player who finds his way back into the mix matters even more.
There’s also a familiar name drawing attention on the market. Free-agent first baseman Ty France has been handed a contract projection that looks unusually light after the season he put together in 2026. France hit .295 with an .865 OPS, production that went well beyond what the Padres expected and made him a steady presence during an offense that was otherwise up and down.
What makes that projection stand out even more is where France started. He opened the year on a minor league contract, and before this breakout he carried a .262 batting average and a .735 OPS across his career. In other words, this wasn’t just a solid year - it was a major step forward.
Pitching remains another major question for San Diego. Starting pitching was one of the club’s least reliable areas last season, and Padres starters logged the fourth-fewest innings in MLB. With the pitching staff in flux this offseason and uncertainty hanging over who will be back in 2027, president of baseball operations AJ Preller may have to look outside the organization for help.
One possible fit is Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Nick Martinez. Martinez is coming off a career year by workload, throwing 180 innings, while also tying his lowest ERA in nine MLB seasons at 3.10. He has recently been linked to the Friars as the Padres search for more stability in the rotation.
At the same time, one of the biggest names Padres fans want back is right-hander Michael King. King was the club’s best starter by a wide margin and turned in one of the strongest seasons of his career, setting personal highs in innings pitched with 185, bWAR with 4.3, and starts with 32.
In Other News...
Padres Just Lost Another Wave Of Depth With One Familiar Name Gone
The Padres offseason depth chart took another hit this week, with a long list of minor league free agents peeling away from the organization. According to the teams transaction log on MiLB.com, San Diego has now lost 11 position players and eight pitchers from the system, a reminder of how quickly the margins can thin once the roster churn of the winter begins.
Among the names on the move is Johnson, who logged 134 MLB games for the Padres and had become one of the more familiar holdovers in the organization. The rest of the list includes players who spent the 2026 season at various minor league levels, which is the part that matters most for a club like San Diego, where every bit of upper-level depth can end up relevant before long. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Prospect Kannon Kemp Suddenly Faces A Tough Development Question
Kannon Kemps Arizona Fall League stint has become a useful snapshot of where the Padres prospect stands after injuries cost him significant development time. The right-hander still shows the kind of velocity and pitch mix that made him an intriguing arm in the system, but the command issues have been hard to ignore, and the overall quality of his pitches has not matched the expectations that followed him into the fall.
For San Diego, that leaves Kemp in a familiar but tricky spot for a young pitcher trying to get back on track. The raw stuff is still there, which is why he remains worth watching, but the organization now has to sort through what comes next and whether his next step should be more refinement or a different level of competition altogether. [Read more 🡒]
Tatis Just Gave Padres Fans A New Debate About His Value
Fernando Tatis Jr. has given Padres fans another reason to argue about just how valuable he really is, and this one comes with hardware attached. The star was nominated for the 2026 National League Silver Slugger Award at two positions, outfield and utility, a reflection of how much his game has stretched beyond the usual box score label. He spent 53 games at second base and handled the spot with a .979 fielding percentage, while still producing at the plate with a .289 average, 25 home runs and 83 RBIs.
The unusual split only adds to the intrigue, because Tatis is now up against a deep field of contenders at both spots and could put himself in Padres record territory if he comes away with one or both awards. For a player whose value has always sparked debate, the nomination underscores how much his versatility has mattered to San Diego this season. The only question left is whether the voters will reward him in one role, both, or leave the Padres waiting to see how the final tally shakes out. [Read more 🡒]