Steve Drumwright

There is no question that A.J. Preller stays busy the entire offseason trying to improve the San Diego Padres' roster. The team's president of baseball operations has the reputation of being one of the most aggressive front-office executives in all of MLB. Even so, there haven't been a ton of moves by Preller this offseason. Sure, right-handed starter Michael King came back, he signed infielder Sung Mun Song from South Korea, and then added another bench bat in Miguel Andujar. Other than that, there haven't been any headline-grabbing moves. So, as the Friars are in the early days of spring training officially beginning, even with some players being in Peoria, Arizona, for weeks already, Preller met the media and gave some thoughts on where the roster stands just a week before Cactus League games begin. Padres Roster Status As most fans know, Preller understands the roster feels incomplete. That begins with the starting rotation. The rotation is pretty good at the top with Nick Pivetta, King, and Joe Musgrove. Randy Vasquez is the No. 4, but the last rotation spot is open with a handful of candidates vying to be on the Opening Day roster, but even those options come with questions. "Looking to add to the starting rotation," Preller said. "We've got some good competition, but I think always looking to fill out innings." View full article

Since losing Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller knew he had to retool the starting rotation. Dylan Cease and Michael King were about to become free agents and Yu Darvish wouldn't return following elbow surgery that would sideline for more than a year. Down went three major contributors to a Friars team that finished 90-72, second in the NL West. The good news was that Preller could expect to have Joe Musgrove back to join right-handers Nick Pivetta and Randy Vasquez as rotation returnees following his Tommy John surgery after the 2024 season. Even still, the rotation was in a precarious position entering the offseason. Let's break down what was done and where the rotation stands as spring training begins. Who Was Scheduled to Come Back? Pivetta, Darvish and Vasquez were in the postseason rotation, with left-handers Kyle Hart and JP Sears other regular starters from 2025 who would be counted on in 2026. Gone were Cease, King and left-hander Nestor Cortes, all free agents. Pivetta had a career year in his first season with the Friars, going 13-5 with a 3.49 FIP (2.87 ERA) with career bests of 190 strikeouts and 181⅔ innings. He had a 6.9% walk rate, improved from his 8.4% career mark, and 26.4% strikeout rate, right on line with the 26% for his career. In his 31 starts, he limited opposing batters to a career-best .583 OPS, including a .193 batting average, also his career low. That earned him a sixth-place finish in the NL Cy Young Award balloting. Darvish started Game 2 of the Wild Card Series vs. the Cubs, but had been experiencing elbow discomfort for much of the season. He made just 15 starts and had the internal brace procedure that reduces the recovery time by a couple months. Darvish, who had Tommy John surgery in 2015, entered the offseason as a 39-year-old, thus putting his future in doubt. With a report that retirement is a distinct possibility, Darvish's tenure as a Padres player seems over, although his legacy is strong. Vasquez had a solid season, though his 4.85 FIP suggests his 3.84 ERA was a little better than it should have been. Vasquez doesn't do anything special, so he's more or less expected to just eat innings. He could stand to use certain pitches more to be effective and overcome his lack of velocity and stuff. He already has a 39.4% groundball rate on balls in play, so leaning into that aspect could be a positive for him. The 33-year-old Hart made his MLB debut with the Boston Red Sox in 2020 and then didn't have another appearance in the bigs until making the Padres' Opening Day roster in 2025. He made five starts before being sent to Triple-A El Paso, then came back for a spot start in May before going back down. Hart stayed in the minors until coming up in late August to make 11 relief appearances. Sears was the other player the Friars picked up in the Mason Miller trade. He wasn't that good in 22 starts with the A's, playing in a minor-league stadium, and didn't improve in five starts with the Padres. In those combined 27 starts, he had a 5.21 FIP, posting 6.3% walk and 18% strikeout rates. Who Was Added? King was given the qualifying offer, but surprisingly returned to the Padres on a three-year, $75 million deal in which he could opt-out after 2026. That was a huge mid-December move that solidified the rotation, giving the Friars a top three of Pivetta, King and Musgrove. Injuries limited King to 15 starts, which likely dampened his value in free agency as well as the price for signing a player with a qualifying offer. He wasn't as good in 2025 as he was in 2024, his first year in San Diego after coming back in the Juan Soto trade with the New York Yankees. Still, he registered a 4.42 FIP with 8.4% walk and 24.7 strikeout rates. Candidates to Join the Rotation The only other true candidate on the 40-man roster is right-handed knuckleballer Matt Waldron, who made just one MLB start and 21 in the minors. That came after 26 starts (27 appearances) with the Friars in 2024 (4.26 FIP). The only other 40-man member listed as a starter is right-hander Miguel Mendez, who was rocked in six starts at Double-A San Antonio in 2025, so the 23-year-old is at least another year away. A few intriguing possibilities were given minor-league contracts with invites to spring training. Those include left-hander Marco Gonzales and right-hander Triston McKenzie. Gonzales didn't pitch in 2025 after having flexor tendon surgery in September 2024, a season in which he made seven starts for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had a really good stretch from 2018-20 with the Seattle Mariners. McKenzie seemed to have a bright future after a really nice 2022 season, but injuries and ineffectiveness led to him being designated for assignment by the Cleveland Guardians early in 2025, then spending the rest of the season in the minors before becoming a free agent. Left-hander Omar Cruz is another possibility. The Bottom Line Preller is likely to add to this group in the near future. He needs to. Pitchers get hurt. This group is thin — very thin. The Friars used 11 starters in 2025 and right now it is tough to find depth that you can have any confidence in beyond maybe eight of the names mentioned. Pivetta, King and Musgrove at the top of the rotation is a pretty good trio. Vasquez as a No. 4 is solid without much more of an upside at the moment. That leaves the No. 5 spot up for grabs. With those four being right-handers, bringing in another left-hander would be prudent. But the top free agents still on the market are all right-handers: Zac Gallen, Lucas Giolito, Chris Bassitt and Zack Littell. No matter how he does it, adding another viable rotation member needs to be Preller's top priority before Opening Day. View full article

The San Diego Padres have already landed a big fish in their 2027 international class. Right-hander Yoel King, a 16-year-old Dominican who is already lighting up radar guns with 100 mph fastballs, has a pre-agreement to join the Friars in next year's signing class. The Padres are set to give King a huge signing bonus. King would represent a huge building block as the Padres need to replenish their farm system following numerous trades that have left the cupboard barren. The Padres are at or near the bottom of many system rankings by various outlets. View full rumor

During the offseason, contending teams are always searching for hidden gems. In the case of right-handed starter Triston McKenzie, the San Diego Padres are looking to see if they can work some magic and restore some of the early-career luster to the once highly rated Cleveland Guardians prospect. If so, the Friars could have a cheap addition for their rotation, which needs some fortification at the back end. McKenzie signed a minor-league contract with the Padres in December after being designated for assignment and outrighted to Triple-A following a rough beginning to last year. McKenzie's struggles last year, in which he pitched just 16 minor-league games including eight appearances in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, could be remnants of his 2023 decision to choose rehab instead of having Tommy John surgery. The troubles since then are in stark contrast to his 2022 season. Following a bumpy 2021 as a rookie with the Guardians, McKenzie put things together and posted a 3.59 FIP (2.96 ERA) in 31 games, all but one a start, and 191⅓ innings. That included a 5.9% walk and 25.6% strikeout rate. He started twice in the postseason, including a really good outing versus the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Wild Card Series (6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 SO) in a 15-inning triumph, then getting knocked around a bit by the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the AL Division Series (5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 4 SO) in a walk-off win. It is that enticing season that makes McKenzie such an attractive wild card for the Padres entering spring training. Due to two injuries in 2023, he has pitched in 24 MLB games (20 starts), tossing 97⅓ innings and notching a 6.21 FIP (5.46 ERA) and a horrendous 15.6% walk rate to go along with a 21.2% strikeout rate over the past three seasons combined. That is where Ruben Niebla, the Padres' well-respected pitching coach who worked with McKenzie when he was in the Cleveland system, comes into play this spring. How much can the Friars fix in McKenzie and can he be an immediate contributor to the team or does he need time at Triple-A El Paso to work on his issues? While the Guardians are a pitching development machine, sometimes a player just needs a change of scenery. Triston McKenzie's Stuff Entering 2026 as a 28-year-old, McKenzie should have plenty of gas in his arm, especially with as much time that has elapsed since his a shoulder injury in March 2023 and elbow injury in June 2023. Since he pitched just 5⅔ innings over four relief appearances at the MLB level in 2025, everything has to be taken with a grain of salt. McKenzie has three pitches, which he has had most of his career, and his struggles in 2025 can be seen in the limited results from Statcast. As an example, his four-seam fastball had 4.1 inches less tail than the average MLB right-hander but did have 4.9 inches more rise. His curveball was his most consistent pitch and right around league average, but his slider tended to hang a bit with 4.7 inches less drop. Reminder that this is data from just four MLB relief appearances. Triston McKenzie's Arsenal Leaning on three pitches, McKenzie offers a four-seamer, curveball and slider. He did have a changeup that he ditched after his rookie season of 2021 and then had his best season (and only full season since) in 2022. His four-seamer was at career-high 93.7 mph in 2025, which was in the 39th percentile, and used it a whopping 80.5% of the time. That compares to 91.1 mph and 52.4% in 2024, 92.4 mph and 63.3% in 2023, 92.5 mph and 56.1 mph in 2022 and 92.1 mph and 61.6% in 2021. McKenzie's curve has been pretty consistent velocity-wise, checking in at 79.5 mph and 13% usage, 77.7 mph and 26.6% in 2024, 78.8 mph and 16.7% in 2023, 79.4 and 21.9% in 2022 and 79.3 mph and 21% in 2021. Finally, his slider, his least-used pitch, was at 86.6 mph and 6.5% usage in 2025, while at 85.4 mph and 21% in 2024, 85.2 mph and 20% in 2023, 87.3 mph and 21.9% in 2022 and 86.4 mph and 19.1% in 2021. The lack of sustained time over the last three seasons leaves little to take away from much of this, other than his velocity hasn't suffered and perhaps is a tick better. Year Pitch Type # # RHB # LHB % MPH PA AB H 1B 2B 3B HR SO BBE BA XBA SLG XSLG WOBA XWOBA EV LA Spin Ext. Whiff% PutAway% 2025 Four Seamer 99 55 44 80.5 93.7 25 17 5 3 1 0 1 2 16 .294 .317 .529 .574 .431 .495 91.6 21 2347 6.9 19.6 11.1 2025 Curveball 16 5 11 13.0 79.5 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 .000 .099 .000 .357 .000 .185 97.4 28 2303 6.7 66.7 22.2 2025 Slider 8 8 0 6.5 86.1 2 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 2 1.000 .636 1.500 1.053 1.067 .716 105.6 15 2046 6.7 0.0 0.0 2024 Four Seamer 683 338 345 52.4 91.1 198 155 47 25 6 0 16 22 134 .303 .299 .652 .670 .460 .462 92.4 21 2229 6.8 10.3 16.2 2024 Curveball 347 158 189 26.6 77.7 96 91 16 8 4 1 3 41 50 .176 .159 .341 .289 .242 .217 89.2 24 2212 6.6 37.3 25.9 2024 Slider 274 183 91 21.0 85.4 44 42 6 6 0 0 0 11 31 .143 .173 .143 .243 .152 .204 84.2 9 2167 6.7 37.6 21.6 What Should Triston McKenzie's Role Be In 2026? Unless McKenzie blows the doors off in spring training or injuries force the Padres' hand, it would be prudent to have McKenzie gain a little confidence by starting at Triple-A El Paso. He also doesn't have any minor-league options remaining, which is why he was DFA'd by the Guardians early last year, which makes a trip to El Paso even more likely. But if McKenzie can smooth out whatever has ailed him, as his velocity would portend, he is definitely the non-roster arm to watch this spring. View full article

Spring training is finally here. Pitchers and catchers have to report by Wednesday, with position players due Sunday. Already, players on both sides have reported to camp in Peoria, Ariz. That means all the work that president of baseball operations A.J. Preller and his crew have done thus far will come together to see how they fit. That begins, of course, with a new manager. Craig Stammen, the former Padres reliever, now becomes the daily face of the team in media interactions and how people perceive the team. Stammen was a surprising replacement for Mike Shildt, who abruptly resigned after the season with two years left on his contract. It is the second managerial change in the last three offseasons, so Stammen's history with the Friars should help with some of the continuity, although he will want to put his own touch on how things are run. Here is what to watch for from the Friars in Peoria: 1. Craig Stammen's Impact Stammen is one of three new MLB managers in 2026 who don't have any managerial experience, majors or minors, joining Kurt Suzuki of the Los Angeles Angels and Tony Vitello of the San Francisco Giants. Vitello has a feel for game management through his time as a college head coach. But Stammen is in the unique position of being a former relief pitcher who is now managing a roster of star players expected to compete for a playoff spot. A handful of those players — Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth and Luis Campusano — called Stammen a teammate in his final season as a player in 2023, retiring due to injury. He was well-liked in the clubhouse and spent the last couple years in various roles, including being available to major-league and minor-league players in his role as an advisor to the front office. Now, he is expected to set the tone in the clubhouse and have players listen to his messaging. That part shouldn't be hard considering he had a prominent role in the clubhouse as a player, but his words mean more now. Like successful coaches from other MLB teams, it will be up to Stammen to create new bonds with all of his players and keep the lines of communication open. Shildt came off as more of a tough-but-fair manager, while Stammen's already-established relationships would lean into a player-friendly style. That does come with a front-office flair due to his time there. Perhaps the biggest impact will be how his coaches perform. While Ruben Niebla lost in his bid to replace Shildt as manager, he remained as pitching coach and added the title of associate manager. Stammen named Steven Souza Jr., a former MLB outfielder with no previous coaching experience, as his hitting coach after spending 2025 as a special assistant with the Tampa Bay Rays. There is no secret the offense could use a boost after finishing 16th in OPS last year, including 22nd in slugging percentage and 28th in homers. 2. Last Rotation Spot Starting pitching depth is tenuous at best, but the top three of right-handers Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Joe Musgrove are pretty decent. Randy Vasquez is currently slotted into the No. 4 spot. But the rotation took a hit with the loss of Dylan Cease via free agency. Without a lot in the minors to fill the void, there has been a lot of fretting by Friars fans, deservedly so, over the back end of the rotation. The Padres were in on this winter's top free-agent target, Framber Valdez, but didn't land the left-hander. It is very likely that this is addressed before Opening Day as several viable arms remain on the market. But until that happens, the Friars need to see what they have in the system. That includes left-handers JP Sears and Kyle Hart and right-hander Matt Waldron from the 40-man roster and non-roster invitees Marco Gonzales and Triston McKenzie, plus even perhaps wild card Riley Pint. That is a thin group. Sears probably enters camp in the No. 5 spot, but fellow left-handers Hart and Gonzales will get long looks this spring, as will Waldron. Sears came over to the Padres in the Mason Miller trade and made just five starts after being acquired. Hart had mixed results in 2025, with six starts among his 20 appearances, posting a 5.18 FIP, while also seeing time at Triple-A El Paso. A few long shots include right-hander Sean Boyle and left-hander Jackson Wolf. All in all, the depth is minimal and any injuries this spring will spell trouble. 3. What to Expect From Joe Musgrove That is a good lead-in for the status of Joe Musgrove. Java Joe had Tommy John surgery after injuring his right elbow in Game 2 of the 2024 NL Wild Card Series vs. Atlanta. The good news is that Musgrove recently said he had a "normal offseason." The timing mostly makes sense in that he was expected to be ready for spring training. But with TJ surgery usually being a 12-16 month recovery, it is doubtful the entirety of this offseason has been normal. And considering the Padres need Musgrove for the full season, it is likely that caution will win the day in the spring exhibition slate. That is something Stammen is surely to be asked about as pitchers and catchers report. If Musgrove suffers any setbacks, that will diminish the already-thin depth in the rotation. If Musgrove is ready for Opening Day following a full spring, his workload could be limited early in the season. That will be something to keep an eye on. 4. Sung Mun Song's Role Second base? First base? Utility? Where will Sung-mun Song play in 2026? The answer to that question could have a significant impact on how the Padres do this season. And part of the answer will depend on how his oblique injury is doing. When he sustained the injury, which was reported in mid-January, it wasn't known when it happened and that he would miss about a month. That timeframe brings us to right about now. The 29-year-old was primarily a third baseman in the Korea Baseball Organization, but that is Machado's home. So, Song will see time on the right side of the infield, with his focus likely to be on second base. Song has played 610 innings since 2021 at second base, the equivalent of half a season in MLB for a regular at the position. He has a solid .989 fielding percentage in that time at the keystone. If Song, a left-handed hitter, is healthy and gets his bat going in spring training, he could earn a few early-season starts. The would allow Jake Cronenworth, also a left-handed hitter, to be a versatile piece to play first base or the occasional start at short in addition to seeing time at second. But if Song doesn't hit the ground running in Peoria, that could render him into a utility role with Cronenworth starting at second. Song is also expected to see time in the outfield to make him more diverse defensively. 5. Final Bench Spot There are four bench spots, one of which goes to the backup catcher, in this case Campusano. Two of those three bench berths are pretty locked in with recent signee Miguel Andujar, a corner infielder-outfielder, and outfielder Bryce Johnson. For this exercise, we are putting Song, Cronenworth and Gavin Sheets in the starting lineup at second base, first base and designated hitter, however that works itself out. Which means the last spot on the roster is up for grabs. Candidates on the 40-man roster are infielders Will Wagner and Mason McCoy and outfielder Tirso Ornelas. Non-roster possibilities include Samad Taylor, Jose Miranda, Nick Solak and Pablo Reyes. Taylor and Reyes are very versatile, able to play second, third and the outfield, while Miranda is a corner infielder and Solak is an offense-first first baseman. With Cronenworth capable of playing shortstop — he started 10 games there in 2025 — the decision on who to pick could come down to the whether it is a right-handed or left-handed bat. With the number of left-handers in the lineup, including Song, Cronenworth, Sheets, and center fielder Jackson Merrill, a right-handed bat seems to be needed. Andujar is a righty bat, while Johnson is a switch-hitter. McCoy, Miranda, Solak and Reyes are all right-handed hitters. McCoy is the only true shortstop in the bunch, providing coverage for Xander Bogaerts. But like Wagner and Ornelas, McCoy has minor-league options remaining, so he'd be just a phone call away if he misses the Opening Day roster. View full article

With news that Eugenio Suarez is joining the Cincinnati Reds for 2026, it meant that someone's opportunities were being taken by the slugger's return to the Queen City. Whether that person is corner infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand is up for debate, but with Suarez's addition as the designated hitter, Sal Stewart's late-season promotion and production at first base, and the Ke'Bryan Hayes acquisition locking up third base, it is hard to see a role for Encarnacion-Strand at the MLB level with the Reds. Could there be an opportunity for the 26-year-old with the San Diego Padres? Most certainly, even as other options are on the table. The bench as currently constructed is weak. Taking the backup catcher out of the equation, there are three bench spots. That typically means one infielder, one outfielder and another who is hopefully a hybrid. The big question for the Padres' starting lineup is how the right side of the infield will sort out. Ideally, that would be newcomer Sung Mun Song in a hybrid role, with Jake Cronenworth at second base and Gavin Sheets at first. Based on how FanGraphs sees the Friars' depth chart, that would mean a bench of Mason McCoy, Will Wagner and Bryce Johnson. That certainly doesn't inspire anyone looking for some offense in the event of an injury. Does Miguel Andujar change this equation, as a right-handed hitter with power? Perhaps, but he's a defensive liability better suited for full-time DH duties at this point. And save for his explosion with the Reds in the second half of the 2025 season, he's been as inconsistent as any hitter in the sport over the past half-decade. Which is where the Encarnacion-Strand, a fellow right-handed hitter, could come into play. But first, what would the Padres need to give the Reds in order to acquire him? It could be a simple 1-for-1 deal in which the Friars take from their deepest spot, the bullpen, and send a reliever to the Reds for Encarnacion-Strand. Who? Depends on who the Reds like. With Encarnacion-Strand entering 2026 with four seasons of team control yet ticketed for Triple-A to begin the season, it could be someone like right-hander David Morgan, a surprise in 2025, or left-hander Yuki Matsui, who has been solid yet underwhelming in his two years with the Padres. Losing either one of those two wouldn't damage the Friars' bullpen that much, especially with two injured relievers (Jason Adam and Jhony Brito) potentially returning in the first two months of the season. But we will let president of baseball operations A.J. Preller figure that part out. Encarnacion-Strand in a Padres uniform would be something worth exploring. While he has battled a couple of injuries (fractured right wrist in 2024, back inflammation in 2025), he also hasn't excelled when given the MLB opportunity. Across three seasons, Encarnacion-Strand has played in 128 games with 501 plate appearances, posting a slash line of .233/.275/.404 with 21 homers and 72 RBIs. However, that comes on top of gaudy minor-league numbers of a .305/.369/.580 slash line with 67 homers and 233 RBIs in 275 games over four seasons. So, you can see where a front office would dream on him. But the one troubling trend with Encarnacion-Strand has been his strikeouts. He has 136 in 128 MLB games and 297 in 275 games in the minors. When he was sent down to Triple-A in mid-July, manager Terry Francona had a chat with Encarnacion-Strand about not chasing as many pitches. That is the baggage Encarnacion-Strand would bring to San Diego. How would that affect the bench? Song is expected to get time this spring in the outfield, so that helps there. He also will fill in for Manny Machado at third base and can also slide over to first base. Cronenworth can play first or second. McCoy can play either middle infield spot, while Wagner is a second and third baseman. At least one of those latter two wouldn't make the Opening Day roster if the Friars make this move, especially since Andujar can technically play the infield and outfield corners as well. Regardless of how the exactly the Opening Day roster shakes out, the offense Encarnacion-Strand would bring to the bench would be a big boost for a team lacking in viable depth. View full article

The San Diego Padres are still looking to add to their roster with spring training set to begin in just a few days, and two reports say they were in play for two free agents who agreed to deals this week. The first was the top pitcher on this year's free-agent market, left-hander Framber Valdez. Valdez agreed to a three-year, $115 million contract with the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday. Jon Heyman, an insider for MLB Network and the New York Post, said the Friars "showed late interest" while also mentioning the Padres first among teams who were in contention for the two-time All-Star and 2022 World Series champion with the Houston Astros. The Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, and Baltimore Orioles were the other teams, aside from the Tigers. Then, following first baseman Paul Goldschmidt agreeing to a one-year deal to return to the New York Yankees on Friday, Dennis Lin of The Athletic noted that the Padres "were a finalist" for the 2022 NL MVP. Goldschmidt's salary for 2026 is expected to be less than $5 million. This comes on the heels of the Padres bringing in corner infielder-outfielder Miguel Andujar on a one-year, $4 million deal Thursday. Whether Andujar was Plan B after possibly being notified that Goldschmidt was going back to the Yankees, or if the Friars would have taken both, is unknown. There are still budget-friendly rotation options available. View full rumor

If San Diego Padres fans are looking for a reason to cheer for a team other than the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic, there is no doubt it is the Dominican Republic. That is because of the 11 Friars participating in the WBC, three are on the DR's roster. Padres appear on eight rosters overall. Despite some insurance issues along the way, official 30-player rosters for all 20 WBC teams were announced Thursday. The tournament begins March 4. Superstars Manny Machado, a third baseman, and Fernando Tatis Jr., a right fielder, were already knowns on the Dominican roster and figure to be among the top players in a loaded lineup. Also on the roster is left-handed reliever Wandy Peralta. Machado will be in his third WBC, while Tatis and Peralta will be making their debuts. Closer Mason Miller is on Team U.S., while shortstop Xander Bogaerts will be playing for the Netherlands, left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui for defending champion Japan, and a pair of Padres in right-hander Ron Marinaccio and minor-league right-hander Alek Jacob playing for Team Italy. Three other minor-leaguers are on rosters with left-hander Miguel Ciengfuegos playing for Panama, right-hander Carter Loewen for Canada and right-hander Josh Mallitz for Israel. Infielder Sung Mun Song would have played for South Korea, but an oblique injury kept him out of the WBC. Another Friar, Yu Darvish, is expected to be an advisor for Japan as he is negotiating a retirement settlement with the Friars on his contract due to injury. The Dominican Republic is one of the favorites to win the WBC. This year's roster is highlighted by Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto, Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez, Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz and Philadelphia Phillies left-handed starter Cristopher Sanchez. Despite typically have the deepest roster of players, the Dominicans have won just one of the five prior WBC championships, capturing the title with a 3-0 win over Puerto Rico in 2013 in San Francisco. The DR has only made the semifinals one other time, in the inaugural WBC in 2006 and finished fourth, losing to eventual runner-up Cuba 3-1 at Petco Park. The Dominican trio of Machado, Tatis and Peralta will go up against Bogaerts and the Netherlands in Pool D in Miami on March 8. Miller and the U.S. face the Italy duo of Marinaccio and Jacob on March 10 in Pool B in Houston. Matsui and Japan are in Pool A, which takes place in Tokyo, The top two teams in each pool advance to the quarterfinals, with the championship game taking place on March 17 in Miami. View full article

The Seidler family will begin to accept initial bids for a sale of the San Diego Padres by the end of February, according to a report on Feb. 5 by The Athletic. This comes on the heels of a settlement in a legal battle between the widow of late owner Peter Seidler and two of his brothers. Peter Seidler died in November 2023. Among the top candidates mentioned in the report is Joe Lacob, owner of the NBA's Golden State Warriors and WNBA's Golden State Valkyries. Lacob has previously pursued purchasing the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels and the A's when they were in Oakland. Sportico reported Wednesday that two owners of English Premier League soccer teams have shown interest in the Padres. Dan Friedkin has ownership of Everton and AS Roma through his Pursuit Sports and Jose E. Feliciano is part of the Chelsea group through Clearlake Capital. The Athletic said the Padres, who were valued last year at $1.9 billion, were seeking a sale price of close to $3 billion, which would surpass the MLB record of $2.42 billion set when Steve Cohen purchased the New York Mets in 2020. View full rumor

There is little doubt that the top of the San Diego Padres' rotation is expected to be pretty good in 2026. With right-handers Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Joe Musgrove, the latter returning from Tommy John surgery, that is good enough for the Friars to compete with anyone. But after that, it gets a little dicier. Right-hander Randy Vasquez is a relative lock at the No. 4 spot, with a handful of options for the final spot, all coming with their own questions as to whether they are a viable MLB starter. Spring training will sort that out, through performance or, gasp, injury, which would make an already-thin rotation depth chart that much scarier. And a reason why it wouldn't be surprising for the president of baseball operations, A.J. Preller, to continue to bring in candidates before Opening Day. Some of these candidates have minor-league options remaining, while others don't, or are on minor-league contracts that would have them start the season at Triple-A El Paso if they don't make the MLB rotation or bullpen. Randy Vasquez's Stuff Vasquez has had a prominent role for the Friars since coming over as part of the prospect package in the Juan Soto trade with the New York Yankees following the 2023 season. The 27-year-old is rather average when it comes to velocity on all seven of his pitches. After a rocky 20 starts in 2024, Vasquez was much more reliable in 2025 with 26 of his 28 appearances as a starter. That came despite his FIP going up from 4.70 to 4.85, with his ERA going the opposite way (4.87 to 3.84), showing that maybe he was the beneficiary of some luck. He greatly improved his BABIP from .333 to .261 as his innings rose from 98 to 133⅔. His most used pitch in 2025 was his cutter, but it was also the pitch that was hit for a higher average (.267) than any of his other offerings and yielded a .447 slugging percentage, by far the highest of his three most-used pitches. His cutter had 0.8 inches less break and 2.6 inches more rise than the average MLB right-hander. His four-seam fastball was his most consistent pitch. The simple problem that Vasquez faces is that he doesn't have the stuff that makes hitters chase. He ranks in the bottom 1% in whiff rate (15.7%), bottom 13% in chase (25.1%), and bottom 2% in strikeouts (13.7%). He is also in the 30th percentile in walks (9.1%). Randy Vasquez's Pitch Arsenal As you might expect with someone who has seven pitches who isn't a dominant pitcher, Vasquez doesn't rely on any singular offering to get outs. His cutter was his most-used pitch in 2025 at 24.9% and checking in at 90.2 mph. His 93 mph four-seamer was used 21% of the time, and his 93.1 mph sinker 19.1%. Then you drop down to his 82.1 mph sweeper and 81.2 mph curveball at 13.1% and 12.8% usage before getting to his 86.9 mph changeup (6.9%) and 85.8 mph slider (2.1%). The usage of his cutter and four-seamer differed significantly from 2024, when his 94.3 mph four-seamer was his go-to pitch at 28.4%, and his 90.2 mph cutter was just 13.7%. The sweeper also took a jump in usage (from 10% in 2024), which may be a precursor to phasing out his curveball, which dropped from 19.7%. What Should Randy Vasquez's Role Be In 2026? With a lack of better options at this point, Vasquez is pretty well set to be part of the rotation this year, whether it be at the No. 4 or 5 spot. Combine that with the fact that he has no minor-league options remaining, and Vasquez is likely to get a long leash. Any prolonged struggles will relegate him to a relief role. Perhaps eliminating the curve in favor of the sweeper and using his four-seamer and sinker more than about 20% each would make him more effective. Those were the only two pitches where he had a positive run value (seven on the four-seamer and nine on the sinker). It would definitely be interesting if his sinker usage spiked. He doesn't have the velocity to blow batters away (he ranks in the 32nd percentile). With the lack of strikeouts, he ranked only in the 41st percentile in grounders (40.2%). View full article

Can you feel it? The San Diego Padres' season is right around the corner, and the excitement is palpable. One sure sign of that is when teams reveal their non-roster invitations to spring training. The Padres did that by updating their website. All of these players are on minor-league contracts, so a bulk of them will be ticketed to start the season at Triple-A El Paso. But there might be a couple of players who earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. First baseman Gavin Sheets was one of those guys last year. This year, there are 28 players who have formally been revealed as having non-roster invites. There is an additional one I included because of a recent announcement. As a reminder, spring training opens next week in Peoria, Ariz., with pitchers and catchers due to report on Feb. 11 and position players shortly after on Feb. 15. The first Cactus League game is Feb. 20 against the Seattle Mariners, with whom the Friars share the Peoria Sports Complex. Pitchers (13*) LH Marco Gonzales Gonzales didn’t pitch in 2025 and only seven times in 2024 due to having left flexor tendon surgery in September 2024. Gonzales only pitched in 10 games in 2023 and had nerve decompression surgery. He will get $1.5 million if he makes the Padres’ roster. The soon-to-be 34-year-old is an interesting low-risk gamble, as JP Sears and Kyle Hart are the top lefty options in the rotation at the moment. He was pretty solid in 2021 and 2022 with the Seattle Mariners before the injuries hit. RH Triston McKenzie If there is one pitcher to watch during spring training, it is McKenzie. Once a highly touted prospect in the Cleveland Guardians' system, the 6-foot-5 right-hander appeared to be breaking through with a 2022 season in which he posted a 3.59 FIP (2.95 ERA) in 30 starts (31 games). Shoulder and elbow issues led to Tommy John surgery in 2023. He wasn’t sharp in his return in 2024 and was designated for assignment by the Guardians after a rough start to 2025. McKenzie took a lottery ticket from the Padres and is the top candidate not on the 40-man roster to claim a rotation spot. If not, he likely heads to Triple-A El Paso to be called upon when needed. RH Riley Pint* This is the asterisk inclusion as Pint was not included on the website, but that might be because that move is fairly fresh and could be a paperwork holdup. He would make 14 NRI pitchers. Pint is a very intriguing candidate for a bullpen role. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2016 draft by the Colorado Rockies has career minor-league walk and strikeout rates that will make you pull your hair out (7.8 walks per nine innings) and simultaneously make you drool (10.9 K’s). He is coming off a 2025 season in which he didn’t pitch in the minors for the Guardians due to an undisclosed injury, but hit Driveline this offseason and showed enough during a workout for teams (97.4 mph fastball, 95 mph sinker) to get a deal with the Padres. He is likely ticketed for Triple-A, but if he has turned the corner with his control, he would be a huge weapon out of the bullpen or even as a starter if he were to be stretched out. LH Omar Cruz Due to the lack of rotation depth, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Cruz stretched out to be a starter this spring. He made his MLB debut with the Padres in 2025 with two relief appearances, but does have 67 starts in 159 career minor-league games. That included 11 starts in 2025 at Triple-A El Paso. He has the strikeout potential with a career 10.4 K’s per nine in the minors. He appears to be an organization favorite as he was an international signee by the Friars in 2017, then brought back as a minor-league Rule 5 pick after the 2023 season. He re-signed on a minor-league deal this offseason. RH Sean Boyle The 29-year-old was a 25th-round draft choice by the New York Yankees in 2018 out of Dallas Baptist and has spent all that time in the minors in that organization. He has bounced between reliever and starter, with 71 of his 134 minor-league games as a starter. In 2025, he spent the entire season at Triple-A, with 23 starts and five relief appearances, compiling a 4.61 ERA in 134⅔ innings. For his career, he has a 3.83 ERA with 2.5 walks and 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings. RH Evan Fitterer The 25-year-old starter was a fifth-round draft choice by the Miami Marlins in 2019 and signed with the Friars in December. He is a SoCal native, born in Mission Viejo and attending Aliso Niguel High School. He plateaued with six starts at Triple-A in 2024, but has otherwise spent the last three seasons at Double-A. That included a swing role in 2025, where he made 33 appearances, including 10 starts, with a 3.92 ERA. Walks have been a slight issue for him as he has a career four walks per nine innings to go with 8.9 strikeouts per nine. RH Justin Yeager A 29th-round draft choice by Atlanta in 2019 out of Southern Illinois, the recently turned 28-year-old reliever has spent all six seasons in the minors, last year splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A in the Milwaukee Brewers' organization. He posted a 0.64 ERA in 18 Triple-A games and has a career ERA of 3.04. Yeager was one of the three players the Brewers got in the three-way trade between Atlanta and the A's in which the Crew netted William Contreras. LH D.J. Snelten A very under-the-radar candidate, the 6-foot-6 left-hander has four games of MLB experience — in 2018 with the San Francisco Giants. Since then, Snelten has seen action in five other organizations. There is no record of him playing in 2025, although he was with the Chicago White Sox until being released in mid-May. His path to the Padres has been filled with stops in independent ball, including Mexico, and was disrupted by Tommy John surgery in 2021. He reportedly was clocked in the triple-digits in Mexico. Prospects LH Jagger Haynes, MLB Pipeline's No. 10 Padres prospect, was a fifth-round draft choice in 2020 as a 17-year-old from a small North Carolina high school. He has experienced a number of injuries, including having Tommy John surgery shortly after making his pro debut in 2021, then blister and shoulder issues after returning to begin 2023. But he has stayed in the rotation the last two years, first at High-A Fort Wayne, then at Double-A San Antonio. He has walked 5.4 batters per nine each of those seasons, while striking out 9.3 and 8.8 per nine, respectively. RH Francis Pena, just turned 25, was a late international signing, joining the Padres just before turning 21 in 2022 for $10,000. He is the Friars' No. 20 prospect who made 43 relief appearances in 2025 at Triple-A El Paso. He struggled with his control there, walking 5.8 per nine innings en route to a 5.68 ERA. He also struck out 8.1 per nine. He has a 3.85 ERA in 125 career minor-league games. LH Jackson Wolf enters his age-27 season having been a fourth-round draft choice in 2021 out of West Virginia. He made his MLB debut with the Friars in July 2023 with a five-inning start and went back to the minors the next day. A week later, he was sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the deal that brought left-hander Rich Hill and first baseman Ji Man Choi to the Friars at the trade deadline. He came back to the Padres just after Opening Day 2024 in a 1-for-1 deal for minor-league shortstop Kervin Pichardo. In five minor-league seasons, Wolf has started 102 of 118 games, registering a 4.91 ERA with 3.6 walks and 9.5 strikeouts per nine. LH Ryan Och was the Friars' seventh-round draft pick in 2021 out of Southern Mississippi and is a 27-year-old reliever who spent all of 2025 at Double-A San Antonio. He appeared in 45 games with a 4.28 ERA, walking 4.8 and striking out 9.1 per nine innings. RH Logan Gillaspie, who went undrafted out of Oxnard College in 2017 and played independent ball, enters his age-29 season having appeared in three MLB games with the Padres as a reliever in 2025 and nine more in 2024. He also made 28 relief appearances with the Baltimore Orioles in 2022 and 2023. He has a 4.75 FIP in those 40 games, walking 6% of batters faced while striking out 14.5%. In seven seasons in the minors, Gillaspie has made 29 starts among his 198 appearances, with a 4.61 ERA. RH Manuel Castro is a 23-year-old reliever who joined the organization in the summer of 2021 and has made a steady climb, spending 2025 between Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A El Paso. He posted a 3.66 ERA at El Paso, with a .198 opponent batting average. RH Ethan Routzahn enters his age-28 season having been an undrafted free agent out of St. John's. He bounced between Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A El Paso in 2025, making a combined 46 relief appearances with a 4.50 ERA. He walked 4.5 batters and struck out 7.2 per nine. Catchers (4) Ethan Salas This is the name that pops out due to all of the hype surrounding the player some have ranked as the Friars' top prospect. Salas was the No. 1 prospect in the international class when he signed as a 16-year-old in January 2023. Born in Florida with family ties to Venezuela, he made his pro debut that year and made headlines by not only being a 16-year-old at Low-A Lake Elsinore, but then being promoted as a 17-year-old to High-A Fort Wayne and then Double-A San Antonio by the end of the season. It was an aggressive approach by the Friars to their top prospect who is known for his tremendous defense. While the left-handed hitter had a good offensive showing at Lake Elsinore, posting a .267/.350/.487 slash line with nine homers and 35 RBIs in 48 games, he hasn't been able to replicate that. He has a slash line of .221/.305/.347 for his three-year career, which included playing in just 10 games in 2025 with San Antonio due to a stress reaction in his back. As he enters his age-20 season, the Padres are likely to give Salas a full year of seasoning in the minors while banking on the chance of him making the Opening Day roster in 2027. Blake Hunt The Southern California native who was a Padres second-round pick in 2017 returned on a minor-league deal this offseason. Like others on this list, the former Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana) figures to be simply an option should the Friars need a catcher. The right-handed hitter was a backup at Triple-A with the Seattle Mariners in 2025, with a slash line of .272/.368/.452 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 68 games. He was part of the Padres’ package shipped to the Tampa Bay Rays in the December 2020 Blake Snell trade. Anthony Vilar Vilar is a 26-year-old who was drafted in the 15th round in 2021 by the Friars out of Miami (Fla.). The left-handed hitter spent all of 2025 at Double-A San Antonio, notching a .209/.316/.317 slash line with six homers and 32 RBIs in 100 games. In five seasons in the minors, Vilar has a .220/.346/.339 slash line with 22 homers and 125 RBIs. Rodolfo Duran Duran turns 28 on Feb. 19 and signed with the Padres last offseason. The right-handed hitter began his career as a 17-year-old after signing with the Philadelphia Phillies, then joined the New York Yankees' system before 2023 as a free agent, then the Kansas City Royals before 2024. Duran appeared in 86 games with Triple-A El Paso in 2025, turning in a .288/.344/.503 slash line with 16 homers and 73 RBIs, so the offensive juice is there. Infielders (7) 1B Nick Solak Solak has the most MLB experience of the non-roster invitees, having played in 259 games, including 11 with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025. Once a highly touted second baseman, the 31-year-old right-handed hitter has transitioned to be a first baseman who could probably play the outfield corners if needed. While good offensively, with a career .250/.325/.369 slash line in the majors with 21 homers and 93 RBIs, defense has been an issue, thus the move to a corner spot. The good news for Solak is the Friars could use a little extra offense from first base, especially from a right-handed hitter. In nine minor-league seasons, the 2016 second-round pick has a .295/.385/.458 slash line. 3B Jose Miranda Another corner infield option, the 27-year-old was not brought back by the Minnesota Twins after having good showings in 2022 and 2024. The 2016 second-round selection had a poor start to 2025 and was relegated to Triple-A, where his struggles continued. That was surprising after a 2024 in which the right-handed hitter had a .284/.322/.441 slash line with nine homers and 49 RBIs, setting an MLB record with hits in 12 straight plate appearances. As a rookie in 2022, he put up a .268/.325/.426 showing with 15 homers and 66 RBIs. He would be another candidate to be a backup corner infielder and could improve his chances if he added some left field to the mix. 2B/SS/3B Samad Taylor The most versatile of all the players on this list, Taylor has seen action at all three outfield spots as well as second base and third base in 38 MLB games, 31 of those coming with the Kansas City Royals in 2023. The Friars list the right-handed hitter as an infielder. He spent the last two years with the Seattle Mariners, also playing shortstop at Triple-A. Taylor put up a .296/.378/.461 slash line in Triple-A in 2025, with 17 homers and 86 RBIs as well as 44 steals in 54 tries. But he has just a .205/.272/.260 in his brief MLB experience, although he has eight steals. If he could put together a good spring, he would be the perfect bench addition for any team due to his positional versatility. Prospects 1B Romeo Sanabria was the Friars' 18th-round draft pick in 2022 out of a Florida junior college and is entering his age-24 season. He is the 21st-ranked prospect in the Padres' system. After playing at three levels in 2024, including Double-A San Antonio, he spent all of 2025 at San Antonio and had a .257/.309/.376 slash line with 12 homers and 56 RBIs. 2B/3B Marcos Castanon enters his age-27 season after being a 12th-round draft choice by the Friars in 2021 out of UC Santa Barbara. He also attended Wilmer Amina Carter High School in Rialto. The right-handed hitter was at Double-A San Antonio for much of 2025, although he did make his Triple-A San Antonio debut with 16 games. Between the two, he had a slash line of .273/.339/.442, hitting 15 homers with 75 RBIs. 2B/3B/SS/OF Clay Dungan was a ninth-round draft choice by the Kansas City Royals in 2019 out of Indiana State and is 29 years old. The Friars added the left-handed hitter through the minor-league Rule 5 draft before the 2024 season. He spent all of 2025 at Triple-A El Paso and put up a .273/.368/.448 slash line with 14 homers, 80 RBIs and 30 steals in 140 games. 2B/3B/SS Francisco Acuna enters his second season in the Friars' system and just turned 26. He played 121 games in 2025, with 109 at Double-A San Antonio and the other 12 at Triple-A El Paso. Across the two stops, he had a slash line of .259/.359/.380 with 10 homers and 51 RBIs. Outfielders (4) OF/2B/3B Pablo Reyes The 32-year-old has played in the majors in each of the last seven MLB seasons he was eligible. Reyes was suspended for 80 games before the 2020 season due to performance-enhancing drugs. The right-handed hitter has positional versatility. In 2025 with the New York Yankees, he played four positions in addition to being a DH in 24 games. He has an MLB career slash line of .245/.305/.342 with eight homers and 56 RBIs across 257 games and 606 plate appearances. He also had 14 steals in 20 tries. OF Jase Bowen The 25-year-old was an 11th-round draft choice by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019 draft out of an Ohio high school. The right-handed hitter is coming off a 2025 in which he put up a .272/.353/.449 slash line with nine homers, 37 RBIs and 20 steals at four levels, including his Triple-A debut. There he slashed .294/.386/.484 in 36 games with three homers, 17 RBIs and seven steals. OF Carlos Rodriguez A 25-year-old, the left-handed hitter has split time between Double-A and Triple-A each of the last two seasons, first with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024, then Atlanta in 2025. In 128 games at Triple-A last year, Rodriguez slashed .247/.317/.323 with eight homers, 32 RBIs and 17 steals. OF Nick Schnell Entering his age-26 season, Schnell was a first-round pick (No. 32 overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018 out of an Indianapolis high school. The left-handed hitter reached Triple-A each of the last two seasons, first with the Rays then with the Washington Nationals, whom he signed with last offseason. Following a promotion from Double-A last year, Schnell turned in a .244/.322/.490 slash line with 21 homers, 68 RBIs and 12 steals. View full article

Needing a boost for the bench and another right-handed bat, the San Diego Padres are bringing in corner infielder/outfielder Miguel Andujar on a one-year, $4 million deal, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman and ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal, reported Thursday, is pending a physical. Andujar, who turns 31 on March 2, will be in the mix as a right-handed bat at first base, a position he only has four MLB starts and seven games at. Three of those appearances at first came in 2025. He would be a platoon option at first with Jake Cronenworth and Gavin Sheets, both left-handed hitters, while also able to spell Ramon Laureano in left field. In 2025, Andujar turned in a solid performance while splitting time with the Athletics and then the Cincinnati Reds as a trade-deadline acquisition. He turned in a combined .318/.352/.470 slash line with 10 homers and 44 RBIs. Andujar, who made $3 million in 2025, was terrific after the trade, posting a .359/.400/.544 slash line, hitting four homers and driving in 17 in 34 games. That was his best offensive year since 2018, his rookie year with the New York Yankees. That year, he manned third base and slashed .297/.328/.527 with 27 homers and 92 RBIs, both still his career-best marks. He finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting to Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels, pulling in five first-place votes. Andujar was particularly effective against left-handed pitchers with a .389/.409/.578 slash line with four homers and 11 RBIs in just 44 plate appearances. His numbers against right-handers weren't too shabby, either, putting up a .290/.331/.429 line with six homers and 33 RBIs. Overall, he had a 5% walk rate and 14.4% strikeout rate. The 94 games played and 341 plate appearances were his most since his rookie season, having battled a variety of injuries over the years, including knee and shoulder surgeries. The Padres were in need of a bench upgrade and Andujar's ability to play multiple positions makes a thin reserve unit much better. View full rumor

The fight for control of the San Diego Padres following the death of owner Peter Seidler appears to have concluded after his widow dropped most of the claims against his two brothers, according to multiple reports, including The Athletic and the San Diego Union-Tribune. Sheel Seidler, Peter's widow, had filed a lawsuit in Texas probate court last year, making various claims against Matt and Bob Seidler, who are trustees of their brother's trust. A filing Monday said the sides had an "agreement to resolve the matters between them." Per the filing, Sheel Seidler cannot refile the claims. John Seidler, the oldest brother, assumed the ownership role following Peter's death in November 2023 and is now a trustee. The Seidlers announced in November that it was considering a sale of the team. According to The Athletic, the family is seeking a sale price "well above" the $1.95 billion the team was valued at in March 2025. Rumored to be leading candidates to purchase the Padres are Joe Lacob, owner of the NBA's Golden State Warriors, as well as Dan Friedkin and Jose E. Feliciano, who own English Premier League soccer teams. View full rumor