Padres Cut Ties With 3 Players, Including Fan Favorite, Ahead of Free Agency

San Diego Padres outfielder Tyler Wade (14) celebrates with Padres first baseman Luis Arraez (4) after their game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 20. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Kyle Hart, Elias Diaz and Tyler Wade became free agents Tuesday after their options were declined by the Padres.

Official updates from Padres:

-Padres declined team options on LHP Kyle Hart and INF/OF Tyler Wade

-Padres declined mutual option on C Elias Diaz

— Sammy Levitt (@SammyLev) November 5, 2025

Diaz's contract with the Padres included a $2 million mutual option for 2026. Diaz slashed .204/.270/.337 as the primary backup to Martin Maldonado, then Freddy Fermin. He made $1.5 million in 2025.

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The 34-year-old has played parts of 11 major league seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates (2015-19), Colorado Rockies (2020-24) and Padres (2024-25). He was a surprise National League All-Star in 2023, and was named the game's Most Valuable Player in an even bigger surprise.

Wade joined the Padres on a minor league contract in November 2023, and 149 games with San Diego over the past two seasons. What he lacked at the plate (.212/.296/.245 slash line), Wade made up for with positional versatility.

The fan favorite appeared at every position except for first base and catcher in the last two seasons, even pitching an inning in relief on May 21 in Toronto. The Murrieta native was designated for assignment twice in the past year.

Wade, 30, also appeared in 23 games at Triple-A El Paso in 2025, slashing .279/.372/.356 with 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts. The Padres will pay him a $50,000 buyout rather than a $1 million 2026 salary.

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Hart also had a team option, worth $5 million, for 2026 but will receive a $500,000 buyout instead.

The left-hander appeared in 20 games (six starts) in his first season in San Diego. In 43 innings at the major league level, he posted a 5.86 earned run average.

Hart also went 3-4 with a 4.10 ERA in 20 games (10 starts) at Triple-A El Paso. The Padres signed Hart in February after he posted a 2.69 ERA with the NC Dinos of the Korean Baseball Organization in 2024.

It's perhaps too soon to say how or if the Padres' decisions on Wade, Hart and Diaz reflect on their 2026 budget. Declining the options on all three players were sensible decisions in light of their 2024 production.

Diaz (0.4), Wade (-0.2) and Hart (-0.2) combined for 0 Wins Above Replacement per FanGraphs, and the $7.5 million they would have cost in 2026 can likely be better spent elsewhere — if the Padres choose to spend, at least.

With Michael King and Dylan Cease headed for free agency, the Padres' starting rotation will need more help than Hart was likely to offer in his age-33 season. Diaz and Wade are occasionally nice pieces to have on the bench, but their production can also be found elsewhere.

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