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Padres Notes: SD Linked to Cubs All-Star Pitcher, Could Lose Coach, One-Sided Trade Deadline

Catch up on all the latest Padres news and notes.
Gabe Smallson|
Oct 3, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Robbie Ray (38) between pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Oct 3, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Robbie Ray (38) between pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres were listed as a top landing spot for an All-Star pitcher from the Chicago Cubs set to enter free agency. With starting pitching being a clear issue during the regular season paired with the sheer amount of free agents on the pitching roster, one insider listed the Friars as a top spot the All-Star.

"Basically the entire Padres rotation will be free agents after this season. That might sound like hyperbole, but it's not," he wrote. "So essentially, every free-agent pitcher makes sense as a fit for the Padres."

Speaking of pitching, perhaps a major reason for the bullpen's dominance this season was pitching coach Ben Fritz, someone who may leave the squad due to another opportunity (and potentially one with the team who originally drafted him back in 2002). According to manager Craig Stammen, however, the team is expected to retain most, if not all, of the current staff.

“We expect a majority, if not all of them, to be back,” Stammen said. “And a lot of that depends on contract stuff and offers from other teams and all that kind of stuff. We’ll have ongoing conversation here over the next couple weeks, but we hope to have everybody back.”

Finally, it is no secret that president of baseball operations AJ Preller is one of the league's best in terms of trade deadline deals, but looking back, a few elements of this year's deadline didn't exactly age well.

The aforementioned pitching struggles were among the top to-do list items for Preller ahead of the deadline, and addressing those needs is exactly what he did, bringing in a Cy Young award winner and an All-Star to bolster the starting rotation. The hope of getting elite starting pitching is that it takes more stress off the bullpen, especially with a deep October run in mind.

Robbie Ray and Casey Mize — the two starters acquired by Preller — did not do that, to say the least. Both are now free agents (and due to their performances, likely not to return), and the Nos. 2, 4, 9 and 27 ranked prospects going into this season are now gone.

Here’s all the latest Padres news and stories (click the headline for the full article):

Padres Listed as Top Landing Spot for Cubs All-Star Pitcher in Free Agency

Padres Could Lose Key Pitching Coach This Offseason

Padres Trade Deadline Saved Their Season, But Suddenly Looks Rough

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Gabe Smallson
GABE SMALLSON

Gabe Smallson is a sportswriter based in Los Angeles with a focus in sports and entertainment content. Gabe has previously worked at Newsweek and Dodgers Nation. He graduated from San Francisco State University in 2020 and received his Masters of Science at the University of Southern California in 2025.

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