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While we have covered four of the biggest free-agent decisions the San Diego Padres will have to make this offseason, there are plenty more players whose statuses vary at this point in time.
For these 13 players, we are going to address them all one one lump sum. Don’t read too much into that; any could return, especially not knowing the financial outlay new owners Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones are willing to put forth in their first offseason. Nine of those players are pitchers, which is always a volatile part of any MLB team’s roster.
For this exercise, I will split the players up into true free agents and those with contract-option decisions.
Previous free-agent-to-be articles:
San Diego Padres' Impending Free Agents
Jason Adam: The right-handed reliever is probably not returning, although that could change if left-handed setup man Adrian Morejon doesn’t make a quick decision to stick around. Adam could make around $10 million a season on the open market.
Walker Buehler: The right-handed starter would be welcomed back with open arms after what he did for the Padres in 2026. While his role varied this year, he should be penciled in as the No. 5 starter for 2027.
Casey Mize: Padres fans won’t believe the contract the right-handed starter will get in free agency this year. It certainly won’t be based on what he did for the Friars after being acquired from the Detroit Tigers.
Robbie Ray: Having just recently turned 35, the left-handed starter could return, but certainly not at the $25 million salary he had this year. More likely to find a better payday elsewhere.
Luis Rengifo: The left fielder’s torn left ACL complicates his story. He probably won’t be back until midseason 2027, so there could be a two-year deal for him that gives him a smaller salary for next year and something in the $5 million range for 2028 if the Padres want to keep him around.
Austin Hays: Apparently one of the favorites of president of baseball operations A.J. Preller, the outfielder is an outside possibility to return, but maybe only on a minor-league deal as the Padres aim to prioritize the playing time for Dustin Harris and/or Samad Taylor.
Ramon Laureano: The 32-year-old outfielder might get a decent contract from someone, but that likely won’t be the Padres after he missed most of this season due to right hip surgery.
San Diego Padres Players With Contract Options
Griffin Canning: The right-hander has a mutual option for $5 million in 2027 with a $1.5 million buyout. Mutual options are almost universally declined. He could return on a smaller deal with the flexibility to be in the bullpen or rotation. He probably wants to start, which might not fit for a Padres rotation needing more certainty.
Lucas Giolito: The right-handed starter has a mutual option for $8 million in 2027 with a $1.5 million buyout. After a disastrous year with the Padres due to injury, he might want to simply try elsewhere. But if the Padres do bring him back (depending on his health), it should with visions as him as the No. 5 starter.
Kyle Hart: The left-hander has a club option for $2.5 million in 2027 with a $200,000 buyout. He seemed to find his niche with the Padres this season as the early cleanup reliever. There's no reason why the Padres shouldn’t bring Hart back at that price.
Yuki Matsui: The left-handed reliever controls his fate with a player option for 2027 at $6.5 million and player option for 2028 at $7 million. Once envisioned as the Padres’ closer of the future, Matsui finally seemed to realize his potential this season and was very reliable down the stretch. He probably wouldn’t make much more on the open market, so sticking with a situation he knows makes sense.
Wandy Peralta: The 35-year-old left-handed reliever has a player option for 2027 at $4.45 million in what could be his final year with the Padres. Like the previous two years, odds are he will exercise his right to call San Diego home for another year.
Miguel Andujar: The designated hitter/outfielder has a mutual option for $8 million in 2027 with a $2.5 million buyout. The option will be declined, but it wouldn’t be surprising for him to come back on deal similar to what he got from the Padres last offseason ($4 million guaranteed for one year).
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