Quote from fenn68 on January 14, 2026, 11:38 am

The Red Sox are going to sign left-hander Ranger Suárez, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. It’s a five-year deal worth $130MM

That leaves only Framber Valdez as a potential top of the rotation SP option ... and that is questionable. Price should be similar to Suarez'.

With that and knowing a number of teams still want a front line SP ... Pivetta for one year at $20.5 MM might look really good. IF Mets whiff on Tucker, and, they have played their hand that they have money, Mets might go SP as the fall back. The fact Suarez went to BOST ... does that motivate BALT or the NYY to step up?

Next level down (in most projections) would be Gallen, Giolito, and Bassitt ... but still should get contracts in the mid-teens (multi-year).

Tough choices, negotiations for all the teams.

Quote from Commie on January 14, 2026, 11:52 am

You guys think German Marquez is cooked?

Quote from fenn68 on January 14, 2026, 12:08 pm

Quote from Commie on January 14, 2026, 11:52 am

You guys think German Marquez is cooked?

Probably ... he would be some team's lightning in a bottle move. He really has not be good since 2020 and lost basically 2023-4 with elbow surgery and 2025 was bad. Yet only 30. Had the stuff at one point, so I guess on a minor league deal might be worth a look for some team.

Not much hope.

Quote from fenn68 on January 14, 2026, 12:12 pm

Padres announced it had hired Bud Black as senior advisor to baseball operations and Wil Myers as a special assignment coach in player development.

Two good guys that should be good in the organization. Consistent with the Padres past of hiring quality former Padres (Hoffman, Loretta, Stammen, et. al)

Quote from sportwarrior on January 14, 2026, 1:05 pm

Anyone wanna talk about the Padres apparently being runner up for Arenado? We balked at paying 11m over 2 years, which is notable considering 5.5 aav for his leadership and veteran presence isn't all that much, even if his bat has flatline.

NOTE: Possible I misunderstood the payment structure. My understanding is that St Louis is paying 31m of the remaining 42m on his contract, and that we wanted the Cardinals to take even more than that (presumably for a better prospect).

Quote from Commie on January 14, 2026, 2:16 pm

He would have played 1st?

Quote from fenn68 on January 14, 2026, 2:50 pm

The hot talking point on a number of sites is that the Padres are serious contenders for Milw SP Freddy Peralta.

Only one year control but a very reasonable $8M+/- contract (something the Padres can handle). He was elite last season (sub-3 ERA). Basically he is top of the rotation. Would be in real demand by a number of teams ... so not an easy get.

Milw wants a player(s) that can help in 2026 plus some real prospect(s). Their SP seems fine and their offense seems fine (except for LF). So how would the Padres match? Laureano for LF (and provide a $6.5MM payroll offset ... only one year control) and Estrada (minimum and 5 years control) as a base plus a prospect(s)? The one year somewhat drops the price for Peralta but competition keeps it up ... so, who knows. Maybe they would go for Laureano then not Estrada but prospects (like: Mendez, Rodriguez, Hawkins, long list of decent pitching options). Then trade Estrada for a Laureano replacement plus.

If they got him using Laureano (net zero to payroll) ... go with a SP staff of Peralta - Pivetta - King - Musgrove - Vasquez and "gamble" on adding some league minimum bats for LF and a 10th hitter. Over 162 games that could be a very very compelling staff supported by Tatis, Machado, Merrill, Bogaerts, Sheets, Cronenworth for offense ... that could work.

Quote from brent wolff on January 14, 2026, 6:16 pm

Quote from fenn68 on January 6, 2026, 11:16 am

Still should address that RHH who ... at a minimum serves to platoon with Sheets or Song ... or two to platoon with both.

As it stands the starting 9: Fermin - Sheets(L) - Song (L) - Cronenworth (L) - Bogaerts - Machado - Laureano - Merrill (L) - Tatis ... and that is pretty good already ... no team has above average players at all nine spots.

For now Campusano is in a the #2 catcher / RHH DH, 1B. That leaves three bench slots out of four currently on the 40 man: Wagner (L); McCoy; Johnson (#); Ornelas (L). Not big hurdles to clear via a low end FA (or two).

Padres have two "long shots" for that RHH 1B/DH bench role with "some" past success in MLB:

Jose Miranda ... bad 2025 but some positives as a 1B/3B prior in Minn.

One real sleeper may be Nick Solak who played in Texas (2019-21) (819 AB) and hit well and was 15% above average vs LHP. After 2021 ... injuries followed by just under performance put him out of favor ... but just 30 so maybe? He has played a lot as a 2B/LF with 1B experience.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Pads have signed RHH INF/OF Nick Solak and LHP Omar Cruz to minor league contracts.  I like both of these signings.  Solak will be competing with Miranda for RH at-bats at 1B as it stands currently.  I would still like to sign RHH OF Austin Hays due to his quality splits vs. LHP, especially if he can play some 1B besides the corner OF spots.  Hoping AJP signs Christian Vasquez as backup C.  With some of our minor league signees, we should have a competitive camp plus hopefully a better bench than we had last year.  Go Pads!

Quote from WindsorUK on January 15, 2026, 2:40 am

Quote from fenn68 on January 14, 2026, 2:50 pm

The hot talking point on a number of sites is that the Padres are serious contenders for Milw SP Freddy Peralta.

Only one year control but a very reasonable $8M+/- contract (something the Padres can handle). He was elite last season (sub-3 ERA). Basically he is top of the rotation. Would be in real demand by a number of teams ... so not an easy get.

Milw wants a player(s) that can help in 2026 plus some real prospect(s). Their SP seems fine and their offense seems fine (except for LF). So how would the Padres match? Laureano for LF (and provide a $6.5MM payroll offset ... only one year control) and Estrada (minimum and 5 years control) as a base plus a prospect(s)? The one year somewhat drops the price for Peralta but competition keeps it up ... so, who knows. Maybe they would go for Laureano then not Estrada but prospects (like: Mendez, Rodriguez, Hawkins, long list of decent pitching options). Then trade Estrada for a Laureano replacement plus.

If they got him using Laureano (net zero to payroll) ... go with a SP staff of Peralta - Pivetta - King - Musgrove - Vasquez and "gamble" on adding some league minimum bats for LF and a 10th hitter. Over 162 games that could be a very very compelling staff supported by Tatis, Machado, Merrill, Bogaerts, Sheets, Cronenworth for offense ... that could work.

As exciting as Peralta would be, I'm not sure about throwing more resources( read: young players) at an SP.

Our offense was weak( 22nd in slugging) last year. If Preller wants to improve this lot, he needs another bat.

I'm not sure how that looks( trade an RP or prospects, or sign someone cheap) but the way Nando disappears for stretches, Bogarts rarely shows up at all, the unknown in Sheets, Crone cratering whilst he swings for the downs, we need another bat in the lineup that can counter that.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see Salas, Schoolcraft, Cruz, Mendez packaged for 2 years of a middling stop gap.

Guess we have to watch this space.