The San Diego Padres are casting a wide net in free agency, and the list of names already tied to them is a long one.
According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Padres have inquired about 11 players so far, with more still out there that he did not name. The group skews heavily toward pitching, which fits the way AJ Preller framed the club’s priorities at MLB’s general manager meetings in Las Vegas this week.
“It’s definitely starting pitching and being able to fill out the rotation; that’s the priority going into this,” Preller said. “I think we like the core group that we have, position player-wise."
That focus makes sense given how thin the rotation looks right now, but the Padres are also expected to keep working on the outfield, the bullpen and maybe even another impact bat.
Among the pitchers linked to San Diego, Tarik Skubal stands out as the biggest swing. The two-time Cy Young award winner is expected to land a massive, likely record-setting contract this winter, and the idea of the Padres going after an ace of that caliber fits the moment with new owners looking to make a splash.
Michael King is also on the list, and his connection to San Diego is easy to understand. He was one of the few bright spots in the Padres rotation last season, then opted out of his contract after posting career highs in innings and starts, with 185 innings and 32 starts. He is projected to command a lucrative deal in 2027, and he has previously said San Diego has become a second home to him.
There’s also Dylan Cease, another right-hander who would bring a top-end arm to the staff. The two-time All-Star posted a 3.25 ERA in 10 starts after the Tampa Bay Rays acquired him midseason, then followed that with a 2.95 mark over 21.1 postseason innings while earning ALCS MVP honors.
Nick Pivetta is in the mix as well. He turned in the best season of his career in 2025, his first year with the Padres, but then missed nearly five months in 2026. The innings he did log were solid, including in the postseason, though San Diego declined his club option earlier this offseason, possibly to reopen talks on a deal with more injury protection.
The Padres are also looking overseas. Naoyuki Uwasawa had a dream season in Japan and is aiming to bring that success to MLB. The right-hander turns 27 later this week and just finished a 146-inning season, which is exactly the kind of workload San Diego needs.
Another Japanese arm on the radar is Tatsuya Imai. He threw 172.2 innings last season, struck out 159 batters and walked 34, and the 5-foot-9 right-hander has said he grew up idolizing Yu Darvish.
There are more familiar MLB names in the mix too. Merrill Kelly delivered 18 starts and 101.1 innings in 2026, missing nearly three months because of a right fibula fracture. His nine starts after the trade and his return from the injured list were less effective than the first nine, but he has still shown he can be one of the best ground-ball pitchers in baseball, ranking in the 99th percentile.
The left-handed option on the board is Zach Eflin, who logged a career-high 169.2 innings over 30 starts for the Baltimore Orioles. His ERA was higher than expected after he finished ninth in the Cy Young race in 2025, but durability is the selling point, and that’s something San Diego clearly values.
The Padres are also checking in on bats. Seiya Suzuki would fill a corner-outfield spot and bring a hot bat with him after hitting .270 with 26 home runs and a career-high 5.1 bWAR in his fifth MLB season.
Munetaka Murakami is another name to watch. The 27-year-old is one of the most coveted players set to come over from NPB, and he is coming off a .306 season with a .991 OPS and 39 home runs.
Jazz Chisholm rounds out the group of 11. He broke out in 2025 with the New York Yankees, batting .242 with 31 home runs, 31 stolen bases and an .813 OPS across 130 games, then followed with a down 2026 in which he hit .231 with 19 home runs, 41 stolen bases and a .711 OPS. He can play second base and the outfield, and he remains one of the more polarizing players on the market.
In Other News...
Padres Outfield Fix Could Trigger A Bigger Fernando Tatis Jr. Shakeup
The Padres are headed into an offseason that could reshape more than one spot on the diamond, with the front office weighing upgrades in both the outfield and the infield. One possible trade partner to keep an eye on is Philadelphia, where names such as Brandon Marsh and Trea Turner have surfaced as potential fits in the broader market discussion, giving San Diego a path to address multiple needs at once.
What makes the situation especially interesting is the ripple effect such a move could have on the rest of the roster. If the Padres land a corner outfielder, Fernando Tatis Jr. could be asked to slide to second base, a change that would alter the look of the lineup and the defensive alignment in a meaningful way. Jake Cronenworth could also become part of the equation, which means the Padres may be staring at a much bigger shakeup than a simple outfield fix. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Take A Flier On A Pitcher With Something To Prove
The Padres are taking a low-cost look at Ryan Weiss, a right-hander who has already had to navigate the churn of a difficult season and a change of scenery. Houston designated him for assignment in June after a rough stretch in the majors, but he stayed on the radar by finishing the 2026 season on a stronger note at Triple-A with Sugar Land, the kind of rebound that can keep a pitcher in the conversation even after the big league numbers have gone sideways.
Now San Diego has given Weiss a one-year deal with an option for 2028, a structure that suggests the club sees more than just a temporary arm for the depth chart. For Weiss, it is another chance to turn that late-season momentum into something more lasting, and for the Padres it is the sort of under-the-radar pitching bet that can pay off if the stuff and the results finally line up at the right time. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Interest In Shota Imanaga Comes With One Clear Concern
Shota Imanaga has surfaced as a possible free-agent fit for the Padres, and the appeal is easy to see. He gave the Cubs 174 1/3 innings in 2026 with a 3.77 ERA, giving Chicago a durable left-hander who could take the ball regularly and stabilize a rotation. For San Diego, a pitcher with that kind of track record naturally draws attention, especially with the club always looking for reliable innings without sacrificing upside.
The concern is just as obvious, though, because Imanaga also allowed a troubling number of home runs. That is where Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla enters the conversation, since the club would likely believe he could help refine Imanagas pitch mix and make him more effective deeper into games. The fit makes sense on paper, but the question is whether San Diego thinks it can clean up the one flaw that could determine how well the rest of his game translates. [Read more 🡒]