The Padres kept Ethan Salas through years of blockbuster trades. His opportunity at catcher shows why their next top prospect deserves patience.
The Padres need starting pitching. This offseason, targeting an overlooked lefty like Trevor Rogers brings concerns, but potential high reward.
Jim Bowden lists the Padres as a fit for Brandon Lowe. Making it work would force San Diego to weigh a Jake Cronenworth trade, first base and DH time.
The Padres can consider trading Jeremiah Estrada, but an impact bat should be the priority. Simply making another salary fit sets the bar too low.
Manny Machado hit .350 this postseason. The Padres’ early exit should put pressure on ownership and A.J. Preller to build a deeper roster.
The Padres can appreciate Wandy Peralta’s durability while demanding a clearer bullpen role after his ground ball rate dropped sharply in 2026.
Before bringing back Austin Hays or Ramón Laureano, the Padres should explore free agency and trades for a dependable everyday left fielder.
The Padres need pitching and an everyday left fielder. Ranking 10 free agents by who deserves a reunion and where A.J. Preller should move on.
Robbie Ray ultimately failed to live up to expectations in San Diego following the trade deadline. Re-signing him in free agency would be an even bigger mistake for the Padres.
The Padres helped Walker Buehler rebuild his value. Now they must decide how much to spend keeping him without shortchanging the rest of the roster.
Can I get some alternate headlines, meta descriptions, and short deks that are more like quippy one-liners.
Tatsuya Nogami bypassed NPB for a Padres minor league deal. Now San Diego must help the Japanese right-hander make a demanding jump into pro baseball.
Keeping Adrian Morejon and Jason Adam would preserve the Padres’ bullpen depth. Ownership must decide whether it will fund the rest of the roster, too.
The Padres need a firm limit in Michael King negotiations. But A.J. Preller also needs a replacement plan that makes walking away worthwhile.
The Padres need Nick Pivetta’s upside, but his contract option demands a hard look at his elbow, their rotation depth and the cost of another absence.
