After a convincing sweep of the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card series, the San Diego Padres looked primed to be the underdog that made a deep postseason run. They had an abundance of star talent. They had an all-world bullpen. Michael King stepped up and others pitched important innings.
But the Padres fell to the Brewers, 3-1, and are out of the postseason. So begins an offseason that will have plenty of questions, as always, in San Diego. And top of mind is what the budget might look like with a new ownership group that wants to contend with the Dodgers. That would require investing more into the roster and giving A.J. Preller resources to facilitate that.
Preller has found ways to upgrade the roster on a limited budget. But he surely would love to add more high-end talent to the team. Keeping some solid names, rebuilding the rotation and gauging new ownership’s willingness to spend will define how the Padres respond to another October disappointment.
Michael King and Adrian Morejon headline the Padres’ toughest decisions
What we do know is that the Padres’ list of free agents is extensive and features Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam, Ty France, Ramon Laureano, Walker Buehler, Austin Hays and Robbie Ray. Lucas Giolito and Griffin Canning both have mutual options and are expected to become free agents. Two of the most important decisions come down to Michael King, who has a $28 million player option for 2027, and Nick Pivetta, who has a $14 million club option.
King is open to returning to San Diego, and the Padres are open to bringing him back. He pitched very well for the Padres, with a 3.21 ERA in 32 starts this season, and pitching important games in the playoffs as both a starter and reliever. He loves it in San Diego and said after Game 4 that it’s “where we started a family.” But in a free-agent class that features Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, Sonny Gray and others, King has an opportunity for a substantial multi-year deal in free agency.
The other big domino to watch is Morejon, a left-handed reliever who has been in the organization for a decade. Preller loves him. The organization loves him. There were plenty of teams interested in Morejon at the deadline, but San Diego held onto him to keep the super bullpen intact, viewing Morejon as a critical part of winning a championship. The Padres will have interest in keeping Morejon, and it’s believed to be mutual. But a 27-year-old reliever with his numbers is going to land a massive payday, and there’s going to be a bidding war for the free-agent-to-be.
Pitching comes first, but Steven Kwan could be worth revisiting
Preller, of course, will look outside the organization for reinforcements. He’s the most aggressive general manager in baseball. It’s what he does.
The need for another outfielder is not obvious, especially with the emergence of Brett Harris in left field. But it’s entirely possible that the Guardians will listen on Steven Kwan in the winter with the star outfielder scheduled for free agency after the 2027 season. The Padres have shown past interest in Kwan, and Preller loves star players. Perhaps that is something that the organization could revisit, with Kwan ranking sixth in baseball in fWAR from June 30 to the end of the season.
The focus for the Padres should revolve around pitching reinforcements and ensuring that the rotation is upgraded headed into the 2027 season. They would love to re-sign King. They would love to bring back Morejon to pair alongside Mason Miller. It will come down to price, and thus that creates uncertainty on both of their futures.
But one thing is obvious: Preller and the front office won’t be satisfied with a National League Divisional Series. He’ll be active this winter. He’s probably already on the phone gameplanning for what’s to come this winter.
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