SAN DIEGO PADRES
2025 finish: 90-72 (2nd in NL West, lost in NL Wild Card Series)
Manager: Craig Stammen (1st season)
Leading the front office: A.J. Preller, president of baseball operations (12th season)
DOLLARS AND SENSE
Largest luxury tax hit: 3B Manny Machado ($31.8 million)
Top returning players: OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (6.1 fWAR), Machado (3.8), SS Xander Bogaerts (3.2)
Top returning starting pitchers: RHP Nick Pivetta (3.7), RHP Michael King (0.8), RHP Randy Vásquez (0.8)
Top returning relievers: RHP Mason Miller (2.3), LHP Adrián Morejón (2.2), RHP Jason Adam (1.2)
ROSTER WATCH
Key additions: OF Nick Castellanos (free agent), INF/OF Miguel Adujar (free agent), INF/OF Sung-Mun Song (free agent), RHP German Marquez (free agent), RHP Griffin Canning (free agent), RHP Ty Adcock (free agent), RHP Daison Acosta (free agent), RHP Walker Buehler (minors), C Blake Hunt (minors), 1B Ty France (minors), INF Jose Miranda (minors), OF Nick Solak (minors), RHP Triston McKenzie (minors), LHP Marco Gonzalez (minors), RHP Sean Boyle (minors), RHP Riley Pint (minors)
Key losses: RHP Dylan Cease (free agent), RHP Robert Suarez (free agent), 1B Ryan O’Hearn (free agent), INF Luis Arraez (free agent), C Elias Díaz (free agent), INF Jose Iglesias (free agent), LHP Nestor Cortes (free agent), C Martín Maldonado (retired)
Baseball America top-100 prospect(s): C Ethan Salas (90)
Kyle Hart #68, Jason Adam #40, Joe Musgrove #44, and Nick Pivetta #27 watch Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres at the Peoria Sports Complex on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
KEEP AN EYE ON
The Padres have won at least 90 games in back-to-back season for the first time in franchise history and have made the postseason in four of their last six years, advancing as far as the NLCS in 2022. Keeping the team relevant and perhaps winning its first World Series title likely hinges on keeping the big contracts on the books producing at high levels. SS Fernando Tatis Jr. had his best season since his steroid suspension, but long power droughts in 2025 (.817 OPS) kept him a notch or two below previous MVP-caliber seasons. Meantime, 3B Manny Machado (.795 OPS) and SS Xander Bogaerts (.720 OPS) are entering their Age 33 seasons and looking stave off the sort of sharp declines that often chase stars into their late 30s.
The Padres could have two of the better units in baseball in their outfield and bullpen. In addition to Tatis, a healthy year from Jackson Merrill (.774 OPS) and Ramón Laureano (.855 OPS) gives the Padres a trio that might rival the Aaron Judge-led Yankees. While the bullpen has lost closer Robert Suarez, LHP Adrián Morejón and RHPs Mason Miller, Jason Adam and Jeremiah Estrada figure to have leads on lock after the fifth inning.
The rotation is the big question mark. RHP Dylan Cease signed with the Blue Jays and RHP Yu Darvish will miss the year following elbow surgery. RHP Michael King returned on a three-year deal with opt-outs, but he’s coming off an injury-riddled season and it’s difficult to know what to expect out of RHP Joe Musgrove in his first year back from Tommy John surgery. RHP Nick Pivetta is coming off a career year, but the Padres have filled out their depth options via a number of lottery tickets.
Fangraphs projection: 79.7 wins