Facing Budget Constraints and A Potential Sale, Should the Padres Look To Offload An Expensive Position Player?

The San Diego Padres are in a weird place this winter. 

On one hand, this is a team that is on the cusp of title contention. They reached the National League Division Series in 2024 and won 90 games again in '25 on the strength of a really strong pitching staff. But with key arms set to depart (Dylan Cease, Michael King) or miss all of next year (Yu Darvish), a need for offense, and assumed budget constraints, it remains to be seen whether they can get over those final few steps toward championship realization. 

With that said, we can assume that at least some of their position players will have their names floating out in the trade ether. Whether that's in connection to filling a need or shedding additional dollars will add some complexity to the rumors, but given the number of (backloaded) long-term contracts on the books, it would probably make some degree of sense on paper to get the payroll sheet looking at least a little bit healthier.

By now, you've probably seen some suggestion that Fernando Tatis Jr. could be among the names the Padres explore a trade of this offseason. He's under contract through 2034 on a deal that gets mighty pricey toward the tail-end. With his elite defense and an above-average bat (that has lost some power), one doesn't have to stretch to see the logic in moving him from a pure dollars perspective. But even with his power decline, Tatis still represents one of the most stable entities on this roster. His approach has improved while his quality of contact has remained as good as ever. As such, it's nearly impossible to imagine such a deal coming to fruition, both from a personnel and an optics standpoint. You're unraveling your pursuit of a title at that point with several ramifications to come after, including hurting franchise valuation (in case a sale actually happens).

The same could be said of Manny Machado. On a contract that runs through 2033, we've seen Machado carry the offense for long stretches. Even if his defense has started to decline, the stability he provides in the lineup (even at a slight power decrease reflected in a .185 ISO in 2025) and in the clubhouse is something that the Padres aren't going to be terribly interested in moving. 

Beyond that duo, however, one imagines there's going to be some interest in the part of the Padres in exploring a move of one of their other two long-term position contracts: Xander Bogaerts and Jake Cronenworth. 

Bogaerts' contract is surely the one the Padres would love to move. His right-handed bat hasn't been a great fit at Petco Park, as reflected by a steep power decline since his arrival in San Diego (.123 ISO combined over the last two seasons). He was able to salvage some value after an abysmal start to the '25 season (104 wRC+) and has added improved baserunning and defense to his skill set. Teams could use that toolbox, in a vacuum. But — and as the Padres would probably realize by needing to replace him — it's a skillset that could be had for a lot cheaper. If a team were to take him on, it would require consumption of significant dollars on the part of San Diego.

Such a deal would be a logistical nightmare, even if it would be the preferred move of the available candidates. Even for a team in need of help at shortstop that has a healthy financial outlook (think Detroit or, potentially, Toronto), it's not something that would come together with any sort of ease... and maybe not even any real financial benefit given the precarious spot in which the Padres are purported to be.

Which is why Jake Cronenworth could be the likeliest to be moved of the longer-term position players on this roster. We'll explore the merits of a Cronenworth-specific move in the near future, but you've got a player whose original deal was for seven years and $80 million. He's never been the power bat that he appeared to be back in 2021, but he's a versatile player with a keen approach. His 13.4 percent walk rate was the 12th-best among qualifiers this season. Capable of playing either second or first, it's an affordable contract, even if it runs through 2030. Teams reportedly inquired on Cronenworth prior to the deadline, and if the Padres are looking to clear out some of their long-term obligations, then there's a certain logic to it. 

But that's the thing about moving any of these position players. Logic exists if you examine things from the Padre perspective. Clearing out money or term is in ownership's interest. But you leave a massive void in moving a Tatis or a Machado. Not to mention the brutal optics. You have to eat money to move Bogaerts. And you'd have to backfill the entire right side of the infield if you move Cronenworth, the most affordable of the bunch. 

It's quite a paradox which A.J. Preller will have to navigate this winter while simultaneously trying to build a starting staff from near-scratch and shore up the bullpen facing departures and potential transitions. It leaves a chance for a huge mess, though it does lend itself to plenty of intrigue, to say the least.