Credit: Brandon Pollard
A look at the current free agent class and who may be of interest to the San Diego Padres.Â
The 2025 Major League Baseball season is in the books.
Sadky, for Padres fans, the Los Angeles Dodgers are back-to-back champions.
Thankfully, the cool, brisk air that signifies the fall season also represents the start of baseball free agency.
Unlike winters of the past, the Padres are not expected to be major players in any of the significant players who are available to sign anywhere. The current roster and the money allocated to several players limit the Padres to some degree. They should still be able to spend, but will not break the bank in doing so.
The roster needs help as several players from 2025 are free agents and will likely sign elsewhere.
Michael King, Dylan Cease, Robert Suarez, Luis Arraez, and Ryan O’Hearn are all free agents. Out of this group, only O’Hearn makes some sense. The others will likely need to sign a team-friendly deal to remain with the Padres. There will be new faces in the clubhouse in 2026.
In looking at the roster, the glaring need is at first base and at designated hitter. The Padres could also elect to move Jake Cronenworth to first base and sign a second baseman. There is flexibility with the Padres in that regard. The other glaring need is at the starting pitcher position. Yu Darvish is lost for the year. Joe Musgrove is coming back from arm surgery. Nick Pivetta anchors a staff that is described as shaky at best.
A.J. Preller is not one to sit idly by. He will make moves. The Padres will sign players.
Here is a look at the free agent class and who makes sense for the San Diego Padres at three positions.
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Credit: Getty Images
First baseman/ Designated hitter
There is a lot of hype for this 25-year-old left-handed hitter with serious power ability. Murakami owns 265 career homers overseas and will likely be a middle-of-the-order type hitter in the majors. He can play first base and third base. His defensive abilities at first base are solid, and that figures to be his future in the league. He is asking for a $200 million contract and will likely get it. The Padre, sadly, cannot afford that asking price.
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Also coming over from Japan is this right-handed hitter is who is described as more polished than Murakami, with not as much upside. The right-handed hitter can play third base, first base, and corner outfield. He will not coast as much as Murakami but is still expected to command a hefty payday. The Padres may be players to some extent, but their asking price could easily take them out of the market. We will wait and see what happens in this regard.
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The Polar Bear would be an awesome addition to the Padres’ lineup, but there is no way they can afford him. The Mets keep lowballing one of their best homegrown players ever. The two sides should be able to come to terms on a long-term deal as New York has money to spend, and Alonso is showing no signs of slowing down. The Padres will not be players.
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Bellinger is 30 and coming off a productive year in New York. His numbers are still nowhere near what he produced in his first three seasons in the league, where he won the NL Rookie of the Year and the NL MVP Award. Bellinger is a bit of an enigma as his production is all over the board in the past five seasons. In 2022, he hit .165 and looked lost at the plate. The Padres may have some interest, but it will surely come down to cost.
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Suarez slugged 49 homers last season, and he will get paid this winter. The third baseman is capable of playing first base, though his true value lies at the hot corner. The Padres may explore what the 33-year-old wants on the open market, but his up-and-down production may limit their interest. Suarez strikes out a ton and is very streaky at the plate. He will never deliver a high average, and the likelihood that he lives up to a long-term deal are minimal at best.
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Marcell Ozuna (DH)
There were some rumors that the Padres were interested in Ozuna at some point in 2025 as the Braves fell out of the playoff race. The right-handed hitter can be a force in the lineup, but he comes with off-field baggage, which is a huge red flag. At the age of 35, his best years may be behind him. He is strictly a DH option at this point moving forward, and the Padres may not want to clog up the position with this veteran. Again, it will come down to the asking price.
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At the age of 38, there is nothing left in the tank of this right-handed hitter. He produced to some degree last season (.731 OPS), but the power is gon, and so is the elite bat-to-ball skill. Goldschmidt is a veteran and could be effective if started selectively. He made $12.5 million last season, and that is nowhere near his real value. The Padres would only be players if it’s late in the winter and Goldschmidt is looking for one last hoorah in the league.
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This right-handed hitter is average at best. After missing the 2023 season, Hoskins slugged 26 dingers for the Brewers in 2024. He missed time last year with an injury, and the numbers slipped. At the age of 33, there are no indications that Hoskins will break out. As a bench option or a spot-starter against left-handed pitching looks to be his future. The Padres would only be interested if he signed for bottom dollar, and even then, the team would likely look for a first baseman elsewhere.
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It makes sense to bring O’Hearn back, but the Padres may not be able to afford him. The first baseman/corner outfielder made an All-Star team last season and is 32. The Padres will flirt with O’Hearn, but he is not someone you want to break the bank signing. His best year in the majors came on a contract year, and that is always a concern.
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France won a Gold Glove in 2025 and finished the season with the Toronto Blue Jays. The right-handed hitter is a professional, but he just doesn’t provide enough power at first base. The Padres may explore flirting with Franc, as his cost would be affordable. You really can’t expect much offensive upside from the 31-year-old. He is what he is.
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Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Second baseman
The right-handed hitter put up decent numbers with the Tigers after seven seasons with the Yankees. He recorded a .745 OPS and slugged 16 homers, making the A.L. All-Star game. There is some sense that Torres will be too expensive for the Padres. He played for $15 million last season and will be looking for a three or four-year deal this winter.
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This switch-hitter caught fire down the stretch for the Mariners and slugged 26 dingers in the 2025 season. He put up a .821 OPS in his contract year and will be paid this winter. The 31-year-old can play all four infield positions and is versatile. The Padres simply cannot win a bidding contest, and after his productive year, Polanco will cash in on the best deal.
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Most Padres fans grew tired of Arraez and his one-dimensional approach at the plate. A thumb injury seemed to take him out of his game early in the year as Arraez hit the ball in the air too much. His minuscule strikeout rate was still intact the whole season, but he continued to be able to walk. The only way he would remain in San Diego is on a one-year deal for low money to build his value. It is unclear what kind of offers he will get this winter.
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Credit: USA Today Sports
Starting pitcher
At the age of 31, Framber Valdez is about to get paid. It won’t be by the Padres, though. He will command a hefty contract, and San Diego simply cannot pay that much for one pitcher. If the team were to spend that kind of money, they would be wiser to distribute the money for a few different upgrades.
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Like Valdez, Suarez will be too pricey for the Padres. San Diego would love to add the lefty, but with ownership issues, the team will stay away from high-priced players. Suarez is 30 and in a lower tier than Framber Valdez, but he will still get a big offer on the open market.
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Cease was serviceable for the Padres, even providing the franchise with its second no-hitter. He was okay, but not overpowering or consistent in any way for San Diego. Health was not a concern for Cease, who continues to pitch every fifth day. His velocity is in the upper 90s, and his slider is as nasty as ever. Cease simply doesn’t pitch with an edge, and that prevents him from being an ace.
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The Padres traded for Michael King, and he took his game to the next level as a starting pitcher. When healthy, he has the stuff to anchor a rotation. His 2025 season saw him miss time with a shoulder injury, and that is a bit concerning. He is looking for a long-term deal, and San Diego may explore signing him, but there is a big buyer beware in regard to his shoulder health.
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Gallen had some terrific years in Arizona, but never quite took his game to the next tier with the D-Backs. If the Padres were to sign him, they could probably get results from the 30-year-old pitcher. His price may be steep, but it’s not known what he will command on the open market. Gallen may choose a one-year deal to build value, as his 2025 season was his worst in the majors.
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The thought is that the Cubs will bring back this lefty from Japan. He was dominant in stretches for Chicago, recording a 3.28 ERA in 54 starts over two years. The southpaw will be 32 next season, but there is still life in the arm. The Padres may have some interest, but his return to the Cubs seems to be the likely move for the Japanese pitcher, especially with a qualifying offer.
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In the 2025 playoffs, Bassitt was dominant out of the pen for the Blue Jays. He will not overpower you, but the righty is crafty and changes speeds very well. In the middle of a rotation, Bassitt still has great value. He will eat innings for a team. His showing in the playoffs means you could also use him out of the pen if needed. The Padres will explore a deal with Bassitt this winter.
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Mar 31, 2023; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Martinez (21) walks to the dugout during the middle of the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
In San Diego, Martinez was used mostly out of the pen. With the Reds, he was used as a starting pitcher and showed value. The 35-year-old should be affordable to the Padres, and there is familiarity between the two sides. The Padres could use Martinez in either role or as a long reliever out of the pen. The two sides will communicate, and something may come to fruition.
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This right-handed pitcher was hurt for most of 2025, but that didn’t stop the Brewers from slapping a qualifying offer on him (which he may accept). That should be a big enough deterrent for the Padres, but they may explore talking to the pitcher, as he has shown decent stuff in the past. Woodruff would need to prove his health first.
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This former Padres prospect was hurt in 2025 and managed 14 starts for the Orioles. His 2023 and 2024 seasons were productive, so there is hope he can get back on track in the coming season. Eflin will be looking for a short-term deal to build his value. The Padres may be able to sign him on a low-cost deal with incentives. Eflin is not a top-of-the-rotation-type guy, but he can eat innings in the middle of a staff.
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This veteran was enjoying a dynamic year with the White Sox, where he put up a 2.10 ERA and a 1.223 WHIP in 11 starts and 68 innings pitched. He was traded to the Rays, and his numbers fell off tremendously. There is still value in the 33-year-old. His cost will not be high, and the Padres may explore bringing him in to compete for a roster spot in the spring.
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In 2024, Fedde broke out after a return from the KBO. In Korea, Fedde refined his breaking pitches and enjoyed a great season with the Sox and the Cardinals. His last two seasons have been horrible for Fedde, who finished the year in Milwaukee, pitching out of the bullpen. There is some ability here, and the cost is cheap. Can San Diego get something out of him? We will see if there is any interest.
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This seems like a joke, but Verlander was very solid down the stretch for the Giants. If he pitched for a playoff team in 2025, he may have channeled his days of the past and been very serviceable. He will be 43 next season, and it is not wise to think you’ll get 26-30 starts out of him. But if he begins the year slowly and builds his arm strength for the postseason, he is an interesting option for a team. He pitched for $15 million last season, and it seems like a long shot the Padres would pay anything close to that.
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The former Dodger is proclaiming himself healthy this winter. There is amazing upside here, but he has yet to show his arm strength prior to Tommy John surgery that cost him the 2024 season. His stuff can be ungodly, but he only shows flashes of it throughout the game. The Padres may be able to get more consistency out of May, but they would need to be convinced he is healthy. There is some interest here on both sides.
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This lefty was once considered a young frontline pitcher. He had some great years with the Mets and produced with the Blue Jays, but never got any traction in St. Louis. Matz can start or pitch out of the pen and is a 34-year-old. His cost wouldn’t be exorbitant, but the Padres may choose to sign someone with more upside as a starter. Matz is worthy of starting a game, but he is nothing more than a number four or five pitcher at this point in his career.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
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