Offseason Outlook: San Diego Padres.
The Padres won 93 games and went into October as a trendy pick for a long playoff run. Their bats stalled out in the final two games against the Dodgers, sending them into an offseason that could see a decent amount of turnover with a handful of important free agents.
Guaranteed Contracts
Manny Machado, 3B: $314MM through 2033 (including $35MM in remaining signing bonus payments).
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF: $306MM through 2034
Xander Bogaerts, 2B: $225MM through 2033
Jake Cronenworth, 1B: $71MM through 2030
Yu Darvish, RHP: $63MM through 2028
Joe Musgrove, RHP: $60MM through 2027
Robert Suarez, RHP: $26MM through 2027 (can opt out after ’25)
Yuki Matsui, LHP: $24.75MM through 2028 (can opt out after ’26 barring intervening Tommy John surgery)
Wandy Peralta, LHP: $13.15MM through 2027 (can opt out after ’24, ’25 and ’26)
Option Decisions
LHP Wandy Peralta can opt out of final three years and $13.15MM on his deal
Team, SS Ha-Seong Kim hold $8MM mutual option ($2MM buyout)
Additional Financial Commitments
Owe $12.24MM to Red Sox as condition of Eric Hosmer trade
2025 financial commitments: $138MM
Total future commitments: $1.117 billion
Arbitration-Eligible Players (projected salaries via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
Luis Arraez (5.121): $14.6MM
Dylan Cease (5.089): $13.7MM
Tyler Wade (5.058): $900K
Michael King (5.004): $7.9MM
Adrian Morejon (4.140): $1.8MM
Jason Adam (4.132): $5.3MM
Luis Patiño (3.061): $800K
Luis Campusano (2.144): $1.7MM
Non-tender candidates: Wade, Patiño
Free Agents
Tanner Scott, Jurickson Profar, Ha-Seong Kim, Kyle Higashioka, Donovan Solano, David Peralta, Martín Pérez, Elias Díaz, Nick Ahmed
It seems like every offseason in San Diego results in a significant shakeup. This winter will probably be no exception, even if the Padres aren’t going to make a single move that is as impactful as last winter’s Juan Soto/Michael King blockbuster. Between a hefty arbitration class, a number of free agents who played key roles in 2024, and a late-season injury that dealt a hit to their rotation, there’s a lot for the front office to address.
The offseason kicks off with option and qualifying offer decisions. There’s not much intrigue with San Diego’s pair of option calls. Wandy Peralta will forego his chance to opt out of the remaining $13.15MM on his free agent deal. Ha-Seong Kim will collect a $2MM buyout on his mutual option and test the market.
San Diego probably won’t issue a QO to any of their free agents. The midseason trade renders Tanner Scott ineligible, not that the Friars were likely to offer a $21.05MM commitment to a reliever anyhow. Kim once seemed like an easy call for the QO, but his late-season labrum surgery makes that too risky. The only other candidate would be Jurickson Profar, who’ll be one of the tougher free agents to value after a career year. If the Padres expect Profar to repeat this year’s production, he’d be worth the QO price. Profar’s career has been wildly inconsistent, though, and there’s probably not enough payroll space to offer the first-time All-Star more than $21MM while addressing multiple holes on the roster.
