PEORIA, Ariz. — A.J. Preller reiterated what everyone in the league knows. And he expanded on a topic so many in the league are talking about.
The Padres’ president of baseball operations addressed the media Thursday, same as he does near the start of every spring training.
One of the subjects of interest was the usual fare — what the Padres are trying to accomplish to round out their roster. The goal is to add a veteran starting pitcher and a right-handed hitter to mix in as a designated hitter and/or first baseman and/or extra outfielder.
The other pressing matter was the status of talks regarding his contract extension, something that is on the minds of people all over Major League Baseball.
“I’d think they would get it done,” one prominent agent said this week, becoming the latest person to inquire about and offer his opinion on Preller’s status. “He’s one of the best … at what he does.”
The curiosity and angst over Preller’s contract, which runs through this season, is in contrast to what is being projected by Preller. He was as unfettered as ever Thursday regarding the ongoing discussions with team chairman John Seidler.
“Like anything, when the time is right, the moment is right, hoping to line up on something, (that) I can have something here (and) the focus can be back on the field and go from there,” Preller said. “But we’ll see where it goes in the next couple days.”
Referring to the “next couple” days or weeks is something Preller does often without meaning the timeframe literally. Asked to clarify that remark Thursday, he said: “Read into it whatever you want.”
Preller and Seidler are the only two people involved in negotiations to extend the contract. However, three people familiar with the process indicated a deal is possible by the time the Padres hold their first full-squad workout Monday.
“I’m not setting any kind of deadline or anything like that,” Preller said. “To me, it’s always open just to having conversations and trying to see if we can work something out. But ultimately my focus is on the team and the field (and) spring training getting started. That won’t change.”
President of baseball operations A.J. Preller speaks on the phone at the Peoria Sports Complex on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Preller, according to people familiar with his thinking, is not concerned about being a lame duck. He said as much Thursday, which lined up with him having essentially accepted a portion of the blame for a deal not getting done when he said he has been focused on building the team.
“Either way, I mean, ultimately, I’m under contract,” he said. “So it’s all about putting a team on the field that’s going to win. We still (have) a lot of work to do in terms of continuing to round out the roster. That continues to be the focus.”
Multiple people in the organization expressed optimism on multiple occasions this offseason that a contract extension would get done. And while some of those people acknowledge an agreement has been more of a challenge than anticipated, there remains a strong belief that Preller will remain for the long term.
“I don’t think anything has changed from that standpoint,” Preller said Thursday. “… The conversations I have with John, I think the same sentiments we’ve had, really, throughout the whole offseason, I think that hasn’t changed at all. Despite not having a deal, I feel like wanting to be here, the intent from the organization for me to be here, I feel like that’s all the same. And I think hopefully we can line up on something.”
President of baseball operations A.J. Preller looks on at the Peoria Sports Complex on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Seidler declined to comment Thursday. Preller will not delve into what the biggest holdup has been.
It seems a safe bet the Padres’ offer has not been compelling enough for Preller, who is supremely confident in his ability as a team builder.
Anyone paying attention to the Padres’ activity in the free-agent market and how they have structured contracts the past two seasons knows $5 million — an estimate of what Preller might make annually on a new deal — is a significant chunk of change for the Padres.
Seidler and CEO Erik Greupner have been upfront about where they intend payroll to be in 2026, and Greupner has spoken several times about how the Padres reinvest all revenue into the team.
The Padres’ payroll stands at $227 million, according to Spotrac. That ranks eighth in the major leagues.
(That total includes the $15 million due Yu Darvish, with whom talks continue regarding the specifics of his intention to terminate his contract. The Padres expect to recoup most or all of the $46 million remaining on his deal.)
Their 2026 payroll is a big number. That is especially so considering the fact the Padres by some measures play in the smallest market in MLB. They are the only team that is located in a bottom-10 market to have a top-10 payroll.
However, to stop there would not allow for a proper appreciation of what Preller, assistant general manager Josh Stein and their lieutenants have done to build recent rosters. The Padres are one of nine teams to have made the postseason at least four times since 2020, and they are one of five teams to have won at least 90 games both of the past two years.
While the four playoff appearances in six seasons is only one less playoff appearance than the franchise made in its first 51 seasons, what has been done the past two years is arguably the more impressive accomplishment.
The Padres followed up the flop of 2023, when they had MLB’s third-highest payroll and missed the postseason, by trimming nearly $100 million from payroll and winning 93 games in ‘24. They were back in the top 10 in payroll in ‘25, but what inflates the Padres’ payroll must be considered.
About half of this year’s payroll is tied up in players who were signed on April 1, 2023, or earlier. Some of those contracts were essentially the products of late owner Peter Seidler’s passion, and they have hamstrung future spending ability.
The Padres have been forced to get creative with contracts, swing big on trades and hit on a number of low-priced veterans like Jurickson Profar (2024) and Gavin Sheets (’25).
Give Eric Kutsenda, who was interim chairman in 2024, and Seidler, along with Greupner, credit for reorganizing debt and committing to reinvesting revenue.
But Preller is at the head of the list of those who have remade an organization that was once horrible. He has masterminded the building and rebuilding of the Padres’ roster. And that roster is the biggest reason people keep flooding Petco Park.
John Seidler knows that. So it still seems highly likely Preller will continue to chase what he has been chasing in San Diego beyond 2026.
“Like I’ve said before, I love being here, love San Diego,” Preller said. “I feel good about the work we’ve done as a group. We still have some unfinished business. So that’s really the motivation — for the city of San Diego to go out and win and be a part of it.”