Paul Goldschmidt Signs with Yankees as Padres Continue Search for Offensive Help
Paul Goldschmidt is heading back to the Bronx. The veteran first baseman has agreed to a one-year deal with the Yankees, ending a free agency stretch that saw interest from a small but competitive group of teams.
While the Diamondbacks were in the mix earlier this offseason, it ultimately came down to New York and San Diego. In the end, the Yankees landed the former MVP.
San Diego made a late push, with reports confirming they were one of the finalists in the Goldschmidt sweepstakes. Even after signing Miguel Andujar to a $4 million deal earlier this week, the Padres remain active in their hunt for offensive reinforcements.
President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller made it clear last weekend that the club is looking to add “multiple bats,” specifically mentioning first base, designated hitter, and bench depth as areas of focus.
Andujar is expected to serve as the primary designated hitter, but his role could flex depending on matchups. He’s likely to platoon at times with Gavin Sheets, especially when facing left-handed pitching.
KBO import Sung-mun Song adds another layer of versatility, offering the ability to shift between positions and help balance the DH and first base duties. That kind of flexibility is key for a Padres roster that struggled to get consistent production from its bench last season-and still looks like it might be short on reliable depth.
Right now, Song and backup catcher Luis Campusano are penciled in for two of the bench spots. That leaves two openings, and the options currently on the 40-man roster don’t exactly scream certainty. Bryce Johnson, Will Wagner, Mason McCoy, and Tirso Ornelas are all vying for a role, but each comes with question marks.
Johnson hit .342 in a small sample last year, but that number was inflated by an unsustainably high .442 BABIP. Ornelas has been a solid, if unspectacular, bat at Triple-A for two years, but he’s yet to make a meaningful impact at the big-league level. McCoy has struggled to hit in the minors, and Wagner-after falling out of favor in Toronto-posted just a .225/.324/.279 slash line over 55 games in the majors last season.
So, while the Padres may have missed out on Goldschmidt, the search for bats continues-and the same goes for pitching.
Preller has also acknowledged the need for another starter. While the team’s top three-Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Joe Musgrove-form a solid front of the rotation, things get murky after that. Randy Vásquez is out of options and looks like a lock for one of the final two spots, but beyond him, it’s a mix of unproven arms and depth options.
JP Sears, Kyle Hart, and Matt Waldron are the only other starters currently on the 40-man roster. Sears could be pushed to the bullpen or Triple-A depending on how the rotation shakes out. The Padres have also brought in Marco Gonzales and Triston McKenzie on minor league deals with invites to Spring Training, hoping one or both can provide value if called upon.
Interestingly, the Padres reportedly took a swing at a much bigger name before he came off the board. They were among the clubs checking in on Framber Valdez before the lefty landed a three-year, $115 million deal with the Tigers. That kind of price tag likely exceeded what San Diego was willing-or able-to spend, but it shows they weren’t afraid to kick the tires on a top-end arm.
With most of the notable remaining free agents being starting pitchers, there are still paths the Padres could explore. Names like Zac Gallen, Max Scherzer, Zack Littell, Justin Verlander, Lucas Giolito, and Nick Martinez are still on the market. Others, including Walker Buehler, Patrick Corbin, Germán Márquez, and Jose Quintana, may be available on one-year deals.
The Padres were able to wait out the market and land Pivetta late last offseason. Whether they can pull off a similar move this time around remains to be seen-but one thing is clear: San Diego isn’t done yet. They’ve got holes to fill, and with Preller at the helm, you can bet they’ll be aggressive in trying to patch them before Opening Day.