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  • San Diego Padres Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest San Diego Padres free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    Steve Drumwright
    With the San Diego Padres still looking to bolster their starting rotation, the team has been connected with a pitcher they have seen a lot in recent years.
    That would be right-hander Zac Gallen, a free agent after pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks since 2019. According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, the Friars have "checked in" on Gallen. But Heyman also immediately threw water on the idea by grouping the Padres with the Los Angeles Angels and saying those two teams aren't "big spenders."
    Instead, Heyman points to a return to the Diamondbacks as a possibility due to Gallen having a qualifying offer, while the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles would be the other top contenders.
    Gallen had a bumpy 2025, with a 4.50 FIP and 4.83 ERA in 33 starts, although he was much better down the stretch, with a 3.32 ERA after Aug. 1.
    Steve Drumwright
    With about a week before rosters are announced for all World Baseball Classic teams, right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres was named to represent the Dominican Republic.
    Tatis was not on the DR's roster for the 2023 WBC as he was coming off a 2022 season in which he was injured and then suspended for using a performance-enhancing drug that lasted into the 2023 season.
    Padres teammate Manny Machado, the third baseman who was on the Dominican Republic's roster for the last WBC, has not yet been officially named to the team but is expected to be on the 30-player roster. 
    The Dominican Republic often has the most talented roster of any WBC team. The DR was the pre-tournament favorite in 2023, but went 2-2 in pool play and did not advance to the knockout round.
    Steve Drumwright
    Samad Taylor, an infielder-outfielder who has seen MLB action with two teams, has reportedly signed a minor-league contract with the San Diego Padres. Taylor also received a non-roster invite to spring training.
    The 27-year-old was a 10th-round draft choice by Cleveland in the 2016 draft out of Corona High School, about 90 minutes north of San Diego. Taylor was recently designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners and elected free agency.
    Taylor has appeared in 38 MLB games, including seven over the past two seasons with the Mariners. He made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Kansas City Royals, playing in 31 games. Taylor has a career slash line of .205/.272/.260 with no homers, four RBIs, and eight stolen bases.
    He was dealt by Cleveland at the 2017 trade deadline, with left-hander Thomas Pannone to the Toronto Blue Jays for right-hander Joe Smith. At the 2022 deadline, he was shipped to the Royals with right-hander Max Castillo for second baseman Whit Merrifield. Taylor was on the move once again in January 2024, going from the Royals to the Mariners for a player to be named, which became right-hander Natanael Garabitos.
    Taylor will battle for the last outfield spot on the Padres' roster with the likes of Tirso Ornelas.
    Steve Drumwright
    The San Diego Padres have a new top prospect. At least according to MLB Pipeline.
    Kruz Schoolcraft, the 6-foot-8 left-handed starting pitcher who was the Friars' top pick in last summer's draft, was named the No. 88 prospect in all of baseball as revealed on MLB Network on Friday. Schoolcraft was the only Padre on the Top 100 list. He was ranked 95th in the season-ending rankings by MLB Pipeline.
    Selected with the 25th pick in the first round out of Sunset High School in Portland, Ore., the 18-year-old pitched in just one game after being drafted, getting his feet wet with the Low A Lake Elsinore Storm. That would be the likely starting spot for Schoolcraft for the 2026 season. Schoolcraft was also a first baseman in high school, but he is focusing on pitching to begin his pro career.
    Catcher Ethan Salas, the Padres' top prospect after the trade of Leo De Vries to the A's in the Mason Miller deal, fell out of the Top 100 after being No. 77 at the end of 2025. In 2024, Salas was MLB Pipeline's No. 8 prospect in all of baseball.
    Steve Drumwright
    Before the Milwaukee Brewers shipped ace Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets, the San Diego Padres were in contention for the right-hander's services.
    This according to a report by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, who said the Padres, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins were in the conversation late. But Rosenthal said the Brewers went with the Mets in part because New York had been the most persistent team.
    The question from the Padres' perspective is if they had the prospect capital to make a Peralta deal happen. The Brewers received two of the Mets' top-five prospects in infielder-outfielder Jett Williams and right-handed starter Brandon Sproat. While Williams likely needs a little more time in the minors, Sproat is expected to contend for a spot in the Crew's rotation this spring.
    The prospect closest to matching what the Brewers were seeking, MLB-ready talent, is right-handed starter Miguel Mendez, who ranks as the No. 8 prospect in the Friars' system by MLB Pipeline. But Mendez had only six games at the Double-A level in 2025 and probably has another year in the minors before truly being an MLB option.
    There are no position players that would have fit that mold, either, even when you consider the Padres' MLB roster.
    Steve Drumwright
    We all know the San Diego Padres are in need of another arm (or two) for the starting rotation, and with the way the free-agent market is moving, there are still plenty of fish in the sea.
    But according to a report Tuesday by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Friars president of baseball operations A.J. Preller is willing to do what he did last offseason — wait out the market and save some cash.
    Another key part of the report was Rosenthal mentioning that the Padres are one of the many teams to have checked in with the Milwaukee Brewers regarding a trade for ace right-hander Freddy Peralta, who is due to make an affordable $8 million before becoming a free agent after 2026.
    The strategy of waiting to improve the rotation worked very well a year ago as the Padres brought in right-hander Nick Pivetta on a backloaded four-year, $55 million contract with opt-outs after 2026 and 2027. Pivetta was paid just $2.5 million in 2025 and jumps to $20.5 million this year. Of course, Pivetta emerged with the best season of his nine-year career.
    Pivetta went 13-7 with a 3.49 FIP, 2.87 ERA, and 149 ERA+ in a career-high 181⅔ innings.
    Pivetta also remains a hot trade target, which would create an issue for the Padres unless an MLB-ready arm is part of the return. Pivetta is likely to be the Opening Day starter this year, with Michael King, Joe Musgrove, Randy Vasquez, and JP Sears likely filling out the rotation. Musgrove is coming back from Tommy John surgery.
    Matthew Lenz
    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.
    Steve Drumwright
    They are the four best words in baseball: pitchers and catchers report.
    Why? Because that signals the official start of spring training, bringing Opening Day that much closer.
    The San Diego Padres open camp in Peoria, Ariz., in just over three weeks, with pitchers and catchers reporting on Feb. 11 and the first full-squad workout Feb. 15. Oftentimes, players report early, depending on if they are coming back from injury or just want to get some extra work in with the coaching staff, but those are the mandatory report dates for the two groups.
    Those players who are participating in the World Baseball Classic have slightly earlier report dates. Pitchers and catchers, regardless of MLB organization, must report by Feb. 11 (same as the Padres) and position players by Feb. 12.
    The Padres' first exhibition game is Feb. 20 against the Seattle Mariners, the same team the Friars share the Peoria Sports Complex with. Technically, the Friars are the road team in that game, with their first home game Feb. 22 against the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. In the annual Spring Breakout game featuring top prospects from both clubs, the Padres will face the Chicago Cubs on March 21 in Mesa, Ariz.
    The final exhibition game will take place in Peoria also against the Mariners on March 23.
    Opening Day for the Friars is March 26 vs. two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers.
    Steve Drumwright
    Were the San Diego Padres the runner-up in the sweepstakes to acquire Nolan Arenado?
    That is unknown, but the Friars were serious bidders to acquire the 10-time Gold Glove third baseman from the St. Louis Cardinals, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. Arenado was traded on Tuesday to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a pitching prospect, right-hander Jack Martinez.
    But where the 34-year-old Arenado would have played would have been the interesting part. With Manny Machado entrenched at third base, the Padres would have wanted Arenado, a six-time Platinum Glove winner, to play first base. Currently, the Friars have a combination of Gavin Sheets and Jake Cronenworth at first base.
    Another impediment in the Padres' attempt to add Arenado was how much salary the Friars would take on. The Diamondbacks took on $31 million of the $42 million Arenado is owed on the final two years of his contract. Rosenthal reported that the Padres wanted to pay less than the $11 million the D'backs will pay Arenado.
    Southern California was a destination for Arenado, who was born in Newport Beach and went to high school at El Toro in Lake Forest.
    Matthew Lenz
    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!
    Matthew Lenz
    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.
    Brock Beauchamp
    According to Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the San Diego Padres would like to add another starting pitcher this offseason, though it comes with the caveat that the Padres may need to trade Nick Pivetta to clear salary space.
    Free-agent starters still on the board include Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Zac Gallen, Nick Martinez, Chris Bassitt, Zack Littell, Patrick Corbin, Erick Fedde, Justin Verlander, Miles Mikolas, Nestor Cortes, Lucas Giolito, Jose Quintana, Aaron Civale, Marcus Stroman, Jordan Montgomery, John Means, Alex Cobb, and Walker Buehler.
    With the Padres still wrestling with budget concerns and expressing an interest in trading Pivetta, it will be difficult to find a net improvement in the rotation.
    Steve Drumwright
    Catcher Blake Hunt, a second-round draft choice of the San Diego Padres in 2017 who was involved in the Blake Snell trade, is returning to the club on a minor-league contract.
    A graduate of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, the 27-year-old Hunt spent the 2025 season in the Seattle Mariners' organization at Triple-A Tacoma. With the Rainiers, he put up a .272/.368/.452 slash line with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 68 games.
    Hunt played his first four professional seasons with the Padres, reaching Low-A Fort Wayne in 2019. He did receive a non-roster invitation to 2020 spring training, but the pandemic wiped away the minor-league season. That December, he was one of four players shipped to the Tampa Bay Rays for Snell. The others were catcher Francisco Mejia, right-hander Luis Patino and right-hander Cole Wilcox.
    Steve Drumwright
    With about a week left in the posting window for infielder Kazuma Okamoto, the San Diego Padres have emerged as a contender for the 29-year-old from Japan.
    While it isn't known how many teams are involved in the process at this point, the report from Francys Romero also included the Los Angeles Angels and Pittsburgh Pirates. His posting window closes Jan. 4.
    Okamoto, primarily a third baseman who also has experience at first base and the outfield, is coming off a 2025 season in which he put up an impressive .327/.416/.598 slash line with 15 homers, albeit in just 69 games for the NPB's Yomiuri Giants.
    As third base is currently held down by superstar Manny Machado, Okamoto's path to playing time is likely at first or the outfield, although there are contenders at those spots, too.
    Matthew Lenz
    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!
    Steve Drumwright
    If everything goes to plan, Mason Miller could be striking out Shohei Ohtani for the final out of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
    That is because Miller, the San Diego Padres' closer, was named to the U.S. roster on Thursday. Miller joins starters Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, and Logan Webb, among others, as committing to play for the U.S. Skubal and Skenes were this year's AL and NL Cy Young Award winners, respectively.
    Miller, acquired by the Padres at the trade deadline from the Athletics, notched 22 saves in 26 chances between the two teams, including two saves in three opportunities with San Diego. Miller mainly served as the setup man for Robert Suarez, who was a free agent this offseason and recently signed with Atlanta.
    Miller has a 0.77 ERA and 1.12 FIP in 22 appearances with the Padres. He had a 54.2 strikeout percentage after the trade.
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