Matthew Lenz

The San Diego Padres will have quite a bit of rostering shuffling to do after making multiple big league signings recently. Even more if they intend to add any of the players signed to speculative minor league contracts. As of Tuesday, the first domino has fallen. According to the San Diego Padres official X account, they have DFA'd outfielder Tirso Ornelas to make room for Griffin Canning. Ornelas' role was never guaranteed as it likely came down to him and fellow outfielder Bryce Johnson to battle for one of the last active roster spots. One of the two became even more expendable once it was announced that the Padres signed Nick Castellanos. After the first day of camp, Ornelas is the odd man out. In a cup of coffee last year, Ornelas posted a .256 OPS across 16 plate appearances. However, at Triple A El Paso he was an above average posting a 104 wRC+ with 10 home runs and seven stolen bases. His scouting report suggests that he can play an average, if not above average, corner outfield. Do you think Ornelas will make it through waivers? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor

As spring training gets underway, the San Diego Padres have no shortage of infield options. In fact, they would be remiss not to attempt to move one of these options if they really want to bolster their starting rotation. However, they may be looking at the possibility of one of those players getting reps in the grass. To a pool of reporters on Wednesday, Sung Mun Song shared that he was told he'll be "covering third, second, first, and also maybe outfield." He adds that while his primary position is third, his "goal is to be out there every single day and play any position that they want [him] to be out there for." Sung, 29, played all over the infield (except shortstop) for the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO). However, in 2025, he didn't play first base, and he's never played the outfield in his career. His mindset is exactly what you want to hear from a player trying to establish himself in the States after a successful career in the KBO. Sung holds a career slash line of .283/.347/.431 with 80 home runs and 51 stolen bases across 3,236 plate appearances, various projection models have him being a below average hitter in his rookie campaign. Whether that will be the case remains to be seen, but his positional versatility could make up for what he may lack at the plate if he can produce even a mid-80s wRC+. Do you think Sung should focus on a single position in the short term, or do you think he can handle the adjustment to Major League Baseball well, also moving all around the diamond? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor

The San Diego Padres continue to add options to their pitching staff in the form of low-risk minor league deals. However, this time it's in the form of a former 1st overall pick in the Nippon Professional Baseball league. According to the team's transaction log, they have signed RHP Daichi Moriki to a minor league deal and have assigned him to the Arizona Complex League Padres. Moriki, 22, was drafted by the Hanshin Tigers in 2021 and made his professional debut in 2022. In four seasons, he pitched in 66 games (149 1/3 innings), posting a 6.87 ERA, striking out 126 hitters, and walking 108. After struggling last season, he was released by Hanshin in October. The Yahoo Sports articles embedded in the X post below suggest that Moriki has been working at a baseball facility here in the States since his release, though it doesn't identify which one. Do you think Moriki can make a name for himself in Major League Baseball? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor

The San Diego Padres are looking to shore up their infield depth despite having multiple options currently on the 40-man roster. Especially on the right side, Jake Cronenworth and Gavin Sheets are expected to share some combination of time between first base and DH. Will Wagner and Sung Mun Song can both play second base (among other infield positions), while depth options include Luis Campusano and Mason McCoy. Despite those options, that's not stopping the Padres from looking at an upgrade for their bench. Chris Cotillo of MassLive is reporting that the San Diego Padres are part of a "robust market" who have shown interest in first baseman Ty France. France, who was drafted by the Padres in the 34th round of the 2015 draft, won the American League Gold Glove in 2025. However, he struggled at the plate in back -to-back season posting a sub-.700 OPS, hitting 20 home runs, and having a below-average wRC+ in both 2024 and 2025. The San Diego State product would serve as a right-handed option on the right side of the infield that has four left-handed options. Do you think the Padres should sign him? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor

It's been fairly quiet for the San Diego Padres ever since they re-signed starting pitcher Michael King and signed infielder Sung Mun Song. However, the pilot light on the hot stove turned into a medium-low flame on Monday. Jon Heyman of the NY Post is reporting that the San Diego Padres are one of many teams interested in utility man Miguel Andujar. At 31 years old, Andujar is coming off his best season with a .822 OPS (125 wRC+) and 10 home runs. Though his quantity of contact is a plus, his quality of contact leaves more to be desired. While he finished in the upper 80th percentiles in whiff and strikeout rates, he finished in the teens when it came to barrel and hard hit rates. With the Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds, he played a little bit at each of the corner infield and corner outfield spots. While his versatility is a plus, he's not particularly strong defensively, as he accrued negative Outs Above Average at each position in 2025 (except first, where he only played 13 innings). Regardless, he would undoubtedly be an upgrade over Will Wagner, Bryce Johnson, and Mason McCoy. Do you think the Padres should sign Andujar? Let us know in the comments. View full rumor

The San Diego Padres have added two members to their front office. Dennis Lin of The Athletic is reporting that Bud Black and Wil Myers will be joining the San Diego Padres organization. Myers will be a special assignment coach in player development, and Black will be a senior advisor to baseball operations. Both have previous ties to the organization - Black as a manager and Myers as a player. Black managed the club for 9 seasons from 2007 to 2015, posting a 649-713 record with zero playoff appearances. Myers, who played for Black, had a .781 OPS and 135 home runs across eight seasons with the Padres. What are your thoughts on these hires by the club? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor

Despite re-signing Michael King, the San Diego Padres are still looking to fill the void left by Dylan Cease, who signed with the Toronto Blue Jays this offseason. Earlier in the offseason, it was rumored that general manager AJ Preller was considering transitioning one of his relievers from the bullpen to the starting rotation. At the time, he had given himself about two weeks to make that decision and seemingly opted not to go that route. However, that doesn't mean Padres fans won't see changes in the bullpen before Opening Day. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com is reporting that the San Diego Padres are looking to add starting pitching and could deal a reliever to make that happen. The report doesn't indicate exactly which reliever(s) may be subject to trade talks, but Cassavell does mention that a high-leverage reliever, Mason Miller, is unlikely to be dealt. That said, he doesn't go too much further down the pecking order before bringing up names like Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon, and David Morgan as potential candidates. He also mentions Jason Adam as an unlikely candidate to be traded. Recently, it was also suggested that the Padres may need to deal Nick Pivetta to make room for another start from a cost standpoint. Do you think the Padres should trade one of their high-end relievers for a starting pitcher? Let us know what you think of the comments. View full rumor

A day after re-signing starting pitcher Michael King, the San Diego Padres have landed another free agent. Well, this move doesn't have the same gusto as the king signing; it is a low-risk, high-reward deal. Aram Leighton of Just Baseball is reporting that the San Diego Padres and utility and Fielder Jose Miranda have agreed to a minor league deal. Miranda, 27, played parts of four years for the Minnesota Twins. Overall, he was an above-average hitter with a 103 WRC+, .719 OPS, and 28 home runs in exactly 1,100 plate appearances. Despite that productivity, he was limited to just 12 big league games in 2025 due to performance. Having been demoted on April 12, after some confusion on the base pass, Miranda never got it going with Triple-A Saint Paul and ended up spending the rest of the season in the minor leagues. Following the season, the Twins outrighted Miranda, who declined his assignment and effectively became a free agent. Miranda, who can play multiple infield spots, is a bit position-less as he can't play any of the spots particularly well. Miranda was a bit of an unknown and unheralded prospect prior to his 2021 season, when he split time between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A Saint Paul. For more on the rise and fall of Miranda, who will look to bounce back in 2026, check out our article on Twins Daily! What do you think of the signing? Can he bounce back with the Padres in 2026? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor

While the San Diego Padres are strapped for cash and have a lot of work to do on their rotation, they've added some bullpen depth via free agency. According to their official X account, the San Diego Padres have signed pitcher Daison Acosta to a one-year deal. Acosta, who has yet to debut at 27 years old, was an international free agent signed by the New York Mets in 2016. He was then acquired by the Washington Nationals via the Rule 5 draft in 2023. Used solely as a reliever over the last three seasons, Acosta has posted solid strikeout rates but has struggled with walks. If he sticks on the Major League roster after spring training, he'll likely be deployed as a low-leverage reliever before being trusted with a larger role. View full rumor

The San Diego Padres lost Dylan Cease to free agency, may lose Michael King, and have been rumored to be considering bullpen arms for the starting rotation. Despite all of this, they are still willing to move one of their rotation arms. Dennis Lin of The Athletic is reporting that the San Diego Padres "have shown a willingness" to deal Nick Pivetta, though Lin goes on to say a deal is "not considered likely" and the team would require a "steep return". It's not that the Friars don't need the 33-year-old right-handed - it's that he's owed $19 million in 2026 and could potentially earn an additional $32 million through 2028, if he doesn't opt out of his contract following this season. Trading Pivetta would lighten the books and give the team the flexibility to use some of that money saved to acquire multiple starters. Pivetta made 31 starts in 2025, sporting an impressive 2.87 ERA, though a 3.49 FIP suggests some negative regression may be on its way in 2026. His 19.4% K-BB rate was exceptiona,l highlighted by one of the best four-seam fastballs in all of baseball. Displaying four plus pitches last year, it's clear he has plenty of juice left and likely would fetch a solid return if dealt. Do you think the Padres should deal Pivetta? Let us know what you think in the comments! View full rumor

The San Diego Padres need to rebuild their rotation for 2026. Though they have qualifying offers out to Michael King and Dylan Cease, it's expected that both pitchers will decline the one-year, $22 million pact. Though that doesn't completely write off the potential for a reunion, Padres president of baseball operations and general manager AJ Preller identified the starting rotation as a "top need." In a column for MLB.com, AJ Cassavell suggests the Friars could turn to their bullpen to bolster their rotation, specifically naming Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon as candidates to move. The decision on whether to move either arm into the rotation could happen soon, as Preller was quoted as saying, "if there’s a role change for anybody, that’s something that’s going to be important for us over the next 10-15 days..." Miller, acquired from the Athletics midseason, finished the season with a 2.63 ERA (2.23 FIP), 32.5% K-BB rate, and 32 holds + saves. Though he was one of baseball's premier closers before being dealt, he was mostly utilized as a setup man to Robert Suarez. Miller earned an extra year of arbitration for being eligible for super-2 status. Morejon, entering his fourth final year of arbitration, pitched 73 2/3 innings for the Friars in 2025. He posted a 2.08 ERA (2.28 FIP) with an 18.6% K-BB rate. With an fWAR of 2,2, he was the best bullpen arm for the team. Do you think either pitcher should convert to a starter? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor

The San Diego Padres have had a busy start to the postseason, announcing a variety of moves that will have implications on how they approach the 2025- 2026 MLB off-season. Additionally, they are just days removed from naming Craig Stammen as the team's next manager. Now, they are looking to lock up one of the more influential people in their front office. Dennis Lin of The Athletic is reporting that the San Diego Padres and President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller are discussing a contract extension. He adds that a new multi-year extension could be completed as soon as Monday. Despite reported tension between Preller and team CEO Erik Greupner, the POBO has undoubtedly earned job security, as the Friars have been consistently competitive throughout his 11-plus-year tenure. Under his watch, the Padres have been able to land some of the biggest free agents on the market. Franchise cornerstone Manny Machado is the biggest, and Yu Darvish is another. Moreover, they've been aggressive in the trade market, acquiring superstar, Juan Soto, and starting pitchers, Michael King and Dylan Cease, in recent years. This has resulted in increased revenue from attendance and TV ratings for the organization. Do you think Preller has earned a contract extension? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor