Offseason Outlook: San Diego Padres

The Padres gained 90 video games and made the playoffs for a second straight season. They got here up quick in a tightly-contested Wild Card Sequence towards the Cubs. Supervisor Mike Shildt retired a number of days later, sending them on the hunt for the sixth full-time skipper of A.J. Preller’s tenure. That comes as they face the upcoming free company of two of their high starters and their nearer.

Assured Contracts

Manny Machado, 3B: $301MM by 2033 (together with $35MM in remaining signing bonus funds)
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF: $286MM by 2034
Xander Bogaerts, SS: $200MM by 2033
Jake Cronenworth, 2B: $60MM by 2030
Nick Pivetta, RHP: $51MM by 2028 (can decide out after ’26 and ’27)
Yu Darvish, RHP: $43MM by 2028
Joe Musgrove, RHP: $40MM by 2027
Yuki Matsui, LHP: $19.25MM by 2028 (can decide out after ’27)
Robert Suarez, RHP: Can decide out of remaining two years and $16MM
Wandy Peralta, LHP: Can decide out of remaining two years and $8.9MM (also can decide out after ’26)

Possibility Choices

2026 ensures (assuming solely Laureano and Peralta return): $154.95MMTotal future commitments (assuming solely Laureano and Peralta return): $1.022 billion by 2034

Arbitration-Eligible Gamers (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

Non-tender candidates: Adam, Sears

Free Brokers

Each offseason in San Diego options its share of twists. This 12 months’s started inside days of elimination. On October 9, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that supervisor Mike Shildt and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller have been anticipated again. Two days later, Shildt knowledgeable the staff he was retiring. Subsequent reporting from The SDUT’s Kevin Acee pointed to discord between Shildt and his teaching workers.

It was the third consecutive managerial stint that led to some measure of controversy. Jayce Tingler had seemingly misplaced the clubhouse by the point he was fired in 2021. Preller and Bob Melvin clashed to such an extent that the Padres allowed Melvin out of his contract through the 2023-24 offseason to take the identical job with the division-rival Giants. Preller continues to be anticipated again for what’ll be his twelfth full season main baseball operations. This will likely be his fifth managerial search and he is going into the ultimate 12 months of his contract. Reporting from Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin of The Athletic pointed to some pressure between Preller and CEO Erik Greupner that raises questions on whether or not the Padres will lengthen Preller or let him work on a lame duck contract.

The managerial search is effectively underway and could possibly be concluded throughout the subsequent few days. Acee wrote final night time that they’ve moved to the second spherical of interviews whereas narrowing their search to a bunch of finalists. Albert Pujols is the one candidate recognized to have gotten a second interview. Bench coach Brian Esposito and pitching coach Ruben Niebla every interviewed not less than as soon as. Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty, a former Padres staffer who gave the impression to be the runner-up when the place went to Shildt two years again, has additionally been speculated as a candidate. Clearly, the managerial hiring will form how a lot of Shildt’s teaching workers returns.

It’d behoove the Padres to get their supervisor in place throughout the subsequent week or so. They at all times have quite a bit to perform on the roster. This 12 months is not any exception, although most of their early choice choices are easy.

They’re going to train their $6.5MM choice on Ramón Laureano, who was improbable after being acquired from the Orioles on the commerce deadline. They’re going to purchase out lefty Kyle Hart and backup catcher Elias Díaz. Nearer Robert Suarez will decide out of the remaining two years and $16MM on his contract, whereas Michael King has a straightforward name to say no his finish of a $15MM mutual choice in favor of a $3.75MM buyout.