The Padres finally woke up last night, making their first fully guaranteed MLB signing since re-signing Michael King more than a month ago. General manager A.J. Preller added lefty killer Miguel Andújar on a one-year, $4 million contract.
That hole will now be filled by Andújar, who arrives as a platoon specialist for a team that finished 17th in baseball with a 96 wRC+ against left-handed pitching in 2025.
While the move helps, there are still quality free agents available, and the Padres’ roster has additional weaknesses to address. Here are three free agents the Padres need to pivot to after the Andújar signing.
Marcell Ozuna
This would be a surprising move given that Preller already spent on a right-handed bat, but Ozuna would make the Padres’ lineup bulletproof. As it stands, with Sheets at first base and Andújar at DH, the lineup features two platoon-level players receiving full-time at-bats. Adding Ozuna would provide balance and allow Sheets and Andújar to platoon at first base.
Despite coming off a down year, Ozuna remains one of baseball’s most consistent hitters. He finished last season with 21 home runs and a 114 wRC+ across 592 plate appearances. Notably, he has posted a wRC+ above 110 against both left- and right-handed pitching. He would slot in as an everyday DH, while Sheets (119 wRC+ vs. righties) and Andújar (172 wRC+ vs. lefties) platoon at first.
Nick Martinez
A reunion with the former Padres reliever continues to look more possible. This offseason’s pitching market remains deep, and even with Framber Valdez off the board, big names like Justin Verlander and Lucas Giolito are getting the most attention.
Martinez could easily get lost in the shuffle and fall right into the Padres’ price range. The fit makes sense. San Diego currently projects five starters, so if by some miracle everything clicks, Martinez would settle into a long relief role – one he has handled well in the past.
In two seasons with the Padres as a starter-reliever hybrid in 2022 and 2023, Martinez posted a 3.45 ERA and 4.17 FIP.
When rotation issues inevitably arise – whether through injuries to Michael King or Joe Musgrove, or underperformance from Randy Vásquez or J.P. Sears – Martinez could slide nicely into the No. 5 spot. In 40 appearances (26 starts) with the Reds last season, he recorded a 4.45 ERA and 4.33 FIP.
Gary Sánchez
This would be an unexpected move given the lack of momentum around Sánchez’s market, but the fit is compelling. Like Martinez, Sánchez’s most productive recent seasons came in a Padres uniform, and he would represent an affordable fallback if higher-end options like Ozuna are too expensive.
Sanchez is coming off a 101 plate appearance, 100 wRC+ season in Baltimore, showing that he can still be competent at the plate. In just 234 at bats for the Padres in 2023, however, Sanchez slugged out of his mind. He mashed 19 home runs, drove in 46 and had a .792 OPS.
On the current roster, Sánchez would profile as a versatile bench bat. Luis Campusano and Freddy Fermin remain unreliable offensively, and Sánchez could serve as a late-game catcher/pinch hitter who can stay in defensively without requiring multiple substitutions.
He could also see at-bats in a platoon with Sheets. Historically, Sánchez has hit left-handed pitching well, consistently posting wRC+ marks above 100 in those matchups. Interestingly, he showed reverse splits in 2025, finishing with a 128 wRC+ against right-handers, making him a potential platoon partner for Andújar as well.
Likely to sign on a minor league deal, Sánchez could be a perfect, affordable Swiss Army knife bat off the bench.