Because the Padres look to retool their roster forward of the 2025 season, Dennis Lin of The Athletic studies that the membership has entertained commerce curiosity in each gamers that would attain free company subsequent winter and gamers underneath longer-term group management. Particularly, Lin notes that the membership has acquired curiosity in right-handers Dylan Stop and Robert Suarez in addition to infielders Luis Arráez and Jake Cronenworth. It’s unclear whether or not or not the membership is engaged in lively negotiations concerning any of these gamers as issues stand.
Stop and Arraez have each seen their names within the rumor mill incessantly this winter, however Suarez and Cronenworth have been far much less incessantly mentioned so far. In reality, Lin himself advised in early December that the Padres had been inclined to maintain Suarez at that time within the offseason. That the membership has subsequently begun to entertain curiosity within the nearer’s companies is actually value noting. On the time, Lin relayed that Suarez’s commerce worth was sophisticated by the presence of an opt-out clause in his contract that might permit him to move to free company after the 2025 season somewhat than obtain $8M salaries in 2026 and ’27.
Maybe because the reduction market has begun to develop, rival golf equipment have modified their analysis of Suarez. With righty Jeff Hoffman touchdown a $33M deal with the Blue Jays, veteran set-up man Andrew Kittredge securing a $10M assure from the Orioles, and a few studies suggesting nearer Tanner Scott may land an AAV within the $20M vary this winter, it’s actually possible that the opportunity of being on the hook for $26M over three years if Suarez opts in has change into extra palatable. In spite of everything, Suarez’s 2.77 ERA in 65 innings because the Padres nearer positions him as one of many higher reduction arms within the sport and compares fairly properly with Kittredge particularly. With that being mentioned, it’s additionally doable that the Padres have change into extra motivated to clear wage because the offseason has continued and are open to dealing Suarez even when the return is lighter than they’d have accepted a month in the past.
As for Cronenworth, it’s considerably troublesome to think about the membership getting a significant return for his companies past wage reduction. He was a superbly serviceable infield choice for San Diego in 2024, hitting a tough league common .241/.324/.390 in 656 journeys to the plate whereas splitting time between first and second base. That was sufficient to make Cronenworth roughly a two-win participant in line with each Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference final yr, a notable step up from 2023 however nonetheless properly under the numbers he posted throughout his back-to-back All-Star campaigns in 2021 and 2022. With simply over $72.7M left on Cronenworth’s contract to be paid out over his age 31 to 36 seasons, the versatile infielder appears unlikely to be moved with out the Padres consuming important wage or taking over one other dangerous contract in return.
Curiously, Lin means that the Padres would like to maintain “at the very least” Arraez within the fold for 2025 out of these 4 names. That’s one thing of a shock given Arraez’s hefty $14M wage in his remaining yr underneath group management and the truth that changing him at first base may absolutely be finished for less expensive, thereby opening up payroll house to improve different areas. Even Lin acknowledges that Arraez’s expensive remaining yr underneath contract might be an impediment for San Diego as they appear to retool their roster. With that being mentioned, it’s doable that the marketplace for Arraez hasn’t been particularly strong. Few groups have been instantly linked to the infielder this winter, and one rumored suitor was seemingly taken off the desk when studies pushed again on the concept that the Yankees may have an curiosity in buying Arraez to play second base for them in 2025.
Nevertheless the membership finally decides to go about transferring wage, it appears all however sure they’ll have to make a commerce or two earlier than the season begins. RosterResource tasks the membership for a luxurious tax payroll of just below $243M in 2025, placing them about $2M over the primary threshold, with an precise payroll of simply over $208M. The membership absolutely desires to duck underneath that first luxurious tax threshold this winter, and former studies have indicated that they need their remaining payroll to clock in under its present degree whereas not essentially dropping all the way in which again right down to final yr’s $169M payroll. With clear wants within the outfield and rotation, it’s laborious to think about the Padres reaching all of their offseason goals with out transferring at the very least one participant due a major wage in 2025, if no more.
