President of baseball operations A.J. Preller, now in the final year of his deal, has spoken in recent weeks with John Seidler about an extension that several team and league sources still expect to be finalized later this offseason. Preller last week made a sixth managerial hire with a three-year deal that will take Craig Stammen through 2028.

Still, Preller’s lack of a completed extension has been a source of unease for some in the organization. The general manager was a favorite of Peter Seidler’s, with the late owner twice extending Preller amid widespread criticism of limited on-field success and frequent managerial turnover. Preller has arguably done his finest work since Seidler’s death, but without the unwavering support and unprecedented resources Seidler afforded him.

FanGraphs estimates the Padres, before filling obvious needs for starting pitching and a corner bat, are carrying a 2026 payroll of $201 million. San Diego ended last season at $211 million, and team sources indicate that next year’s target could fall in the same neighborhood.

For now, the team’s options for acquiring roster upgrades or financial relief appear limited. Machado, Tatis and Bogaerts all have full no-trade clauses. Veteran infielder Jake Cronenworth has partial no-trade protection. Team executives do not anticipate moving Tatis, 26, in the next year, but many throughout the industry believe the Padres eventually will be compelled to entertain that possibility.

Beginning in 2027, Machado, Tatis and Bogaerts will combine to account for roughly $90 million in annual payroll. In 2029, that figure will jump to just over $100 million.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6804792/2025/11/13/padres-sale-san-diego-seidler-family/

24 comments

  2. Staying at the same spending level would be awesome compared to selling all assets for a new team buyer

  3. Yep definitely gonna be another quiet off-season. I was holding out hope not for any big name free agents, but maybe a couple mid-tier guys like a 1B and a starter or two. But between the potential sale talks and already being up close to what they want the max payroll to be, it’s not meant to be.

    Time to start figuring out what cheap guys might become the next Pivetta or Sheets. Gonna be another year of key at bats (especially early in the season) going to the Maldonados and Gurriels of the world.

  4. All the more reason to convert Morejon or Miller to starter. Replacing them in the bullpen would be much cheaper than finding a potential top of the rotation starter.

  5. Give that man whatever he wants to continue, uninterruptedly, the work he has done. We have put the best product this franchise has ever seen on the field consistently over the past four years and the lion’s share of credit goes to Preller.

  6. So about $10 million to fill all the needs? Thats not really gonna work

    And I’m not accusing them of being cheap. They have a top payroll in the league. It’s just too heavily weighted on too few players. They gave out some massive contracts that have backed them into this corner.

  7. Him being extended would at least put a lot of fans minds at ease about the sale.

    We simply can’t lose AJ’s ability to find talent.

  8. Ouch. Thats like how many pitchers and like two or three position players. How do you even make that work?

  10. The owners are selling, and we’re a year out of a lockout. I don’t think we’re going to do much this offseason.

  12. I’m not sure how this money is adding up. Arraez was making 14M. Cease was making 14M. Hosmer was still on the books at 12M. Suarez at 13M. Ohearn at 8M. King at 4M. Darvish dropped 5M from 2025 to 2026

    Where is that 70M shifted to? Manny jumped 8M this year. Tatis jumper 5m… Xander stayed flat. Pivetta jumped a huge 19M. A couple guys like Laureano and Jakes shifted up 1m-2m. But the numbers don’t add up.

    I’m not seeing how this is possible unless they’re including the qualifying offers in the calculation. Where did 70m in salary move to in new money?

  15. Spotrac lists out current number at $158,856,564 and the projected at $190,696,564

    So I’m very curious as to where he’s getting these figures from.

  16. Dennis’s math is wrong. Padres ended last season with a payroll closer to $223M.

    Fangraphs typically underestimates Payroll/Luxury Tax numbers since they don’t include performance incentive bonuses and CBT penalty. Spotrac and Cot’s are more accurate.

    Spotrac had us at $223M: [https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/san-diego-padres/payroll/_/year/2025](https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/san-diego-padres/payroll/_/year/2025)

    Cot’s had us at $221M: [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hUvYNZODpusJEJQm41EPUDHXi-fSWtWmxY54X4OW3Q4/edit?gid=1520401900#gid=1520401900](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hUvYNZODpusJEJQm41EPUDHXi-fSWtWmxY54X4OW3Q4/edit?gid=1520401900#gid=1520401900)

    With an additional $7M in luxury tax penalties, 2025 Padres Payroll was almost pushing $230M.

  17. I could be wrong, but I feel Spotrac is more reliable. If so.. last year we had 223M and they have us currently at close to 191M. I don’t expect us to spend 30M on FA’s, but perhaps Preller can work some contract magic and spread the money around. Pivetta is a prime example and even what he did with King.

  18. So the team has a few million and an empty farm to rebuild the rotation and flesh out the lineup

  19. I’d like to see them add Rhys Hoskins and Ty France to share RH 1B/DH duties.
    Cheap source of RH power so we can spend on Starting pitching.

  20. NGL, compadres, this feels like a bad dream. How many times over the decades have I seen the Padres gather a bit of steam, only to lose it through a fire sale or bad ownership.

  23. I don’t think we can cut it with 10 million. Hopefully we can solve the ownership issue since it is better for the team.

  24. Every off season Lin and his Padre hating sycophants regurgitate this same ol crap.

    Preller’s on the hot Seat. Wide spread criticism. Financial inflexibility. Trade Tatis. A team source.

    It’s horseshit.

    Tatis will retire a Padre. Preller will be extended. The Padres will have a payroll higher than last season.

    STFU Lin and while you’re at it, pass it along to Boob and Bowtie.

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