The San Diego Padres already know they need help at the top of their rotation, and the list could get even longer if their free-agent options start landing elsewhere.
If the group of Michael King, Casey Mize, Walker Buehler, Nick Pivetta, Robbie Ray and Griffin Canning all sign with other teams, the Padres would be staring at a bigger problem in the middle and back end of the staff, too. That’s why FanSided’s Robert Murray floated two names as potential targets for San Diego in the 2026-27 free-agent class: Freddy Peralta and Tarik Skubal.
Peralta, 30, would bring immediate impact. He was recently named MVP of the American League Championship Series, and after a rough opening to the regular season with the New York Mets, he settled in during the postseason with the AL champion Rays. In five playoff appearances, the right-hander went 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA.
Skubal is the bigger prize. The two-time Cy Young Award winner is reportedly interested in heading back to Los Angeles after being dealt from the Detroit Tigers to the Dodgers in a blockbuster midseason trade.
He’s viewed as the centerpiece of the class and is being projected to land the richest contract ever for a pitcher, which puts the Dodgers and New York Mets in the driver’s seat. Mets owner Steve Cohen already handed out the largest contract ever for a position player, adding another layer to the chase for the 29-year-old left-hander.
Still, Murray thinks San Diego shouldn’t be dismissed. On The Baseball Insiders on Monday, he said the Padres “might end up being the sleeper team for Tarik Skubal.”
“That new ownership group there, they got a taste of what winning was like,” Murray said. “They got to see how competitive that baseball team was.
They got to see how [Petco Park] just absolutely rocks. They have a GM in AJ Preller who will explore anything.
And I could see, very easily, the San Diego Padres exploring the waters for Tarik Skubal.”
Murray also pointed to Preller’s history with Scott Boras clients, noting that the Padres already gave shortstop Xander Bogaerts the long-term deal he wanted: 11 years, $280 million. He added that Skubal could be chasing a $400 million contract.
“We're still figuring out this new ownership group, but you have to imagine if AJ Preller wants someone of that caliber, he's going to pitch every idea he can to that new ownership group,” Murray said.
For now, the Padres-Skubal connection is only speculation. But Murray laid out enough to keep the idea on the radar.
In Other News...
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At the same time, the club extended a qualifying offer to All-Star lefty Adrian Morejon, keeping the door open on a return even as he heads into free agency. Morejon has said he wants to be back, though he also understands the business side of the process, and the timing comes with Mason Miller earning finalist status for National League Reliever of the Year after leading the league in saves and games finished. [Read more 🡒]
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Yankees Just Got A Complicated New Factor In Free Agency
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Morejns situation is especially notable because the qualifying offer is designed to give teams compensation if a player signs elsewhere, which can complicate the market for anyone attached to it. The group is a reminder of how quickly free agency can get tricky, and of how clubs have to weigh talent, cost and the draft-pick price tag that comes with letting a player walk. [Read more 🡒]