Padres May Have Hard Time 'Keeping Up' in NL West, Says Insider

May 4, 2018; Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; San Diego Padres general manager AJ Preller watches batting practice before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images | Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

A lot of questions surround the San Diego Padres after tuckering out in the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs to end a disappointing season despite finishing with 90 wins for the second consecutive season.

With starting pitchers Dylan Cease and Michael King departing in free agency, the Padres must figure out how to reshape their starting rotation despite being limited financially. Because the Seidler family is exploring options to sell the team, there are questions about how much the Padres are willing to spend in 2026.

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John Seidler, now the Padres' official control person with Major League Baseball, said he expects the team's payroll to be about the same as it was in 2025, when it ranked as the sixth-most expensive in MLB at over $223 million.

Including arbitration projections, the Padres have roughly $196 million on the books, meaning they theoretically have another $30 million or so for general manager A.J. Preller to throw around this offseason. But even $30 million might not be enough for a starting pitcher or two, a first baseman or designated hitter and additional depth.

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At this point, given Preller's reputation of taking big swings, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal wouldn't be surprised by any of the possible moves the Padres could make.

“If Preller trades a huge contract—a Xander Bogaerts for instance—no one should be surprised…if he trades Nick Pivetta as I mentioned for the reasons I stated, no one should be surprised. It’s A.J. Preller folks. He’s always up to something”—@Ken_Rosenthal

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— Talking Friars (@TalkingFriars) December 15, 2025

"Certainly if Preller trades a huge contract — a Xander Bogaerts for instance — no one should be surprised," Rosenthal said on Foul Territory. "Bogaerts does have a full no-trade [clause]. If he trades Nick Pivetta ... no one should be surprised. If he gets players that we have not even identified, who would not be on the radars of anybody writing about this sport or talking about this sport or even involved in this sport, that would not be a surprise either. It's A.J. Preller, folks. He's always up to something."

In order for the Padres to compete with their division rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Preller will have to work his magic again this offseason. Unloading a big contract could free up space for more depth and starting pitching, but to compete with the reigning back-to-back World Series champions will take a special group of players.

"This is a competitive division and the Padres, depending on what happens, are going to have a hard time keeping up," Rosenthal said.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.