How do they arrive at that projection? It’s not like they know who we’re gonna sign
So the Padres have maybe $20M in cash they can spend and $14M in AAV, and they just gave Kyle Hart $1M. So, unless they make a trade or by some miracle open up the checkbook for this season, we are basically stuck with what we have on the team now and some scraps we could possibly pick up. No sure if the ESPN deal that was just announced provides any new revenue to SD or we are still basically without a TV deal
To the bottom teams
So we can add another $100m on players since apparently the league gives no fucks about what the competitive balance tax was meant to stop?
Every division represented in the playoffs by the highest spend except NL Central.
Every wild card team was the next highest spend.
In the N L Central 1 and 2 just swapped spots.
I think there’s a lot weighing on this off season. Depending on what happens from the ownership side, these contracts that we’re stuck can begin feelin like anchors
Our starting pitching is concerning, but as of right now our projected lineup doesn’t look too bad.
Don’t judge me on the order I just wrote it quickly. We do need at least 1 more bat, but ideally 2.
Our pen is also shaping up to look nice. Up to Preller to find some value for the rotation, but that is why he makes the big bucks.
The best teams spend, and the worst teams refuse to.
baseball needs a spending ceiling with steep penalties for going over. it’s how Formula 1 started getting better.
The doyers real payroll is actually well over a billion dollars if you factor in the deferred money contracts
lol and the Mets haven’t even added any pitching 😂😂🫣
I really think MLB should just adopt a Salary Cap like the NFL
If only they counted deferred contracts the way they should.
A lot of people pan the Padres Ownership for not spending money but our payroll really has been high enough since 2020. Our highly paid players do not produce up to their paycheck. In 2025 we had up to $40 million on the sidelines most of the year.
Elite relievers cost a lot less than elite starters and get a lot fewer years on their contracts so I would convert Miller and Morejon to starters and sign an elite Closer and the best Lefty reliever I could. Adam should also make it back in April. Rodriguez could bust out into a high leverage reliever. Both Morgan and Hawkins could provide above average middle relief. I would cut Yuki loose and eat the contract. Vasquez could also pitch out of the pen as the long man [3+ inning stints] to keep him stretched out as an emergency starter.
A rotation of Pivetta, Musgrove, Miller, Morejon plus another pitcher similar to Lugo/Wacha/Pivetta as our 5th starter [not saying this 5th starter will produce like those 3 but we really didn’t know how those 3 would produce when they were signed either]. I don’t think Mendez is MLB ready.
I also think Hawkins can make our Pen out of ST.
I went to picture 2 first to look for our name. Ugh
![[Spotrac] Updated MLB 40-Man Tax Payroll Projections](https://www.rawchili.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dwwq5w41ba2g1-1080x1024.jpg)
15 comments
How do they arrive at that projection? It’s not like they know who we’re gonna sign
So the Padres have maybe $20M in cash they can spend and $14M in AAV, and they just gave Kyle Hart $1M. So, unless they make a trade or by some miracle open up the checkbook for this season, we are basically stuck with what we have on the team now and some scraps we could possibly pick up. No sure if the ESPN deal that was just announced provides any new revenue to SD or we are still basically without a TV deal
To the bottom teams
So we can add another $100m on players since apparently the league gives no fucks about what the competitive balance tax was meant to stop?
Every division represented in the playoffs by the highest spend except NL Central.
Every wild card team was the next highest spend.
In the N L Central 1 and 2 just swapped spots.
I think there’s a lot weighing on this off season. Depending on what happens from the ownership side, these contracts that we’re stuck can begin feelin like anchors
Our starting pitching is concerning, but as of right now our projected lineup doesn’t look too bad.
1. Tatis RF
2. Merrill CF
3. Machado 3B
4. Sheets/??? 1B
5. Laureano LF
6. ???/Sheets DH
7. Bogaerts SS
8. Cronenworth 2B
9. Fermin C
Don’t judge me on the order I just wrote it quickly. We do need at least 1 more bat, but ideally 2.
Our pen is also shaping up to look nice. Up to Preller to find some value for the rotation, but that is why he makes the big bucks.
The best teams spend, and the worst teams refuse to.
baseball needs a spending ceiling with steep penalties for going over. it’s how Formula 1 started getting better.
The doyers real payroll is actually well over a billion dollars if you factor in the deferred money contracts
lol and the Mets haven’t even added any pitching 😂😂🫣
I really think MLB should just adopt a Salary Cap like the NFL
If only they counted deferred contracts the way they should.
A lot of people pan the Padres Ownership for not spending money but our payroll really has been high enough since 2020. Our highly paid players do not produce up to their paycheck. In 2025 we had up to $40 million on the sidelines most of the year.
Elite relievers cost a lot less than elite starters and get a lot fewer years on their contracts so I would convert Miller and Morejon to starters and sign an elite Closer and the best Lefty reliever I could. Adam should also make it back in April. Rodriguez could bust out into a high leverage reliever. Both Morgan and Hawkins could provide above average middle relief. I would cut Yuki loose and eat the contract. Vasquez could also pitch out of the pen as the long man [3+ inning stints] to keep him stretched out as an emergency starter.
A rotation of Pivetta, Musgrove, Miller, Morejon plus another pitcher similar to Lugo/Wacha/Pivetta as our 5th starter [not saying this 5th starter will produce like those 3 but we really didn’t know how those 3 would produce when they were signed either]. I don’t think Mendez is MLB ready.
I also think Hawkins can make our Pen out of ST.
I went to picture 2 first to look for our name. Ugh