It can’t be easy playing second fiddle to the Dodgers every year, especially if you’re as good a team as the Padres are. This year, they won just three fewer games than the eventual World Series champions—enough for a Wild Card spot, but not enough to beat a surging Cubs team in October. 

To their credit, it’s not for lack of trying. San Diego has earned a reputation for being one of the more proactive teams in the offseason, spending big on extending their own talent (Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill) and on marquee free agents (Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts). This strategy is often coupled with aggressive moves at the deadline. This year, they notably acquired Mason Miller, J.P. Sears, and Freddy Fermin. They also did a deal with the Brewers, sending over Brandon Lockridge in exchange for Nestor Cortes, Jorge Quintana, and cash considerations.

So, as they begin what will inevitably be yet another busy winter on their end, are there pieces that, if acquired, could bring value to the Brewers in 2026?

SP Randy Vásquez
Vásquez couldn’t have picked a better season to start figuring things out on the mound. After posting a 4.87 ERA over 20 starts in 2024, he helped bolster an injury-plagued rotation by pitching to a 3.84 ERA over 133 ⅔ innings this year. After being optioned in early August to make room in the rotation for deadline acquisition Nestor Cortes, he found himself back on the roster in September.

Despite his strong year, though, the Padres may not have him in their plans. Aside from the fact that he didn’t make a postseason appearance, San Diego should be getting Joe Musgrove back from the injured list next year, and there has even been talk about returning Mason Miller to a starting role. The future of Yu Darvish is less certain, but if he does decide to return in 2026, he’d definitely occupy a spot, as well. 

Furthermore, Vásquez has some concerning statistical indicators. First, he had a FIP of 4.85 and a WHIP of 1.32, neither of which are particularly encouraging. These were largely dimmed by his strikeout rate of just 13.7% and a walk rate of 9.1%, both worse than average. Second, while his strikeout ability is poor, the rest of his peripherals aren’t much better. If you take a cursory glance at his Statcast page, you might’ve been surprised to learn that he did much of anything this year.

But one thing he did do well was use his sinker to hold opposing hitters to a .040 ISO. As someone with an average fastball velocity of just 93.3 mph and poor movement profiles on his breaking balls, his reliance on soft contact is a critical weakness that other teams may not be able to utilize. The Brewers, on the other hand, have thrived in recent years when it comes to turning guys who throw in the low 90s into groundball machines. With limited current upside, he could be an afterthought for the Padres—but a great development project for the Brewers.

RP Adrián Morejón
One of the most intriguing storylines of this year’s trade deadline was the assembly of a “super bullpen” in San Diego. In any given series, opponents could expect to face a gauntlet of elite relievers like Robert Suarez (2.97 ERA, 40 saves), Jason Adam (1.93 ERA), and Miller (0.77 ERA). With additional backup by a high-performing medium-leverage support staff like David Morgan (2.66 ERA) and Wandy Peralta (3.14 ERA), it’s easy to see that there might be an overflow of talent in the Padres’ bullpen.

Morejón is one of these top-tier relievers and is set to hit free agency in 2027. A talented lefty, he posted a 2.08 ERA over 73 ⅔ innings this year, primarily leveraging a sinker in the high 90s with a sharp slider and a rare but effective changeup. He had excellent results outside the zone, boasting a chase rate of 32.2% while still limiting walks (5.9%) and hard contact. His hard-hit rate of 30.7% placed him in the 99th percentile of qualified pitchers.

The value proposition with Morejón is obvious, which actually hurts his case as a Brewers trade target. If Milwaukee is interested, they’ll hardly be the only candidate, and a burgeoning market could push up his asking price. The Brewers don’t necessarily need him, but having a power-pitching lefty would give the team another option outside of Aaron Ashby (who might want one more shot to start) and Jared Koenig. He may end up being too expensive to be actively pursued, but he’d be an outstanding reliever to have. The (unsurprising) opt-out by Suarez on Monday might make San Diego less likely to move him, though.

1B/DH Ryan O’Hearn (Free Agent)
Whether you believe the Brewers should pursue a first baseman this winter is largely dependent on how much faith you have in Andrew Vaughn. He had 64 games to regress to the production he had in Chicago, but managed to keep it up. He had a disappointing .651 OPS in the postseason, but still had some big moments and will be around for another year before hitting free agency. Can he be great for a whole year in Milwaukee? Who knows?

Because of the uncertainty, it may be prudent to have a backup option similar to Rhys Hoskins, who will be departing the team for free agency after an underwhelming two-year stint. In many ways, Ryan O’Hearn fits the bill. This was his third consecutive season posting a 119 OPS+ or better; he has become one of the more consistent bats at first base. 

He may not be as much of a power threat as some fans would prefer, but his high batting average and good plate discipline would fit in well with Milwaukee’s offensive strategy of working patient, high-quality at-bats. Furthermore, at 32 years old, he probably won’t be in line for a very long deal, which could place him in the perfect price range. Hoskins was paid $34 million over two years; O’Hearn would almost certainly come cheaper than that. In this day and age, power comes at a price that the Brewers can’t (or won’t) pay, which makes a more well-rounded hitter like O’Hearn one of their best bets.