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2025-26 Offseason thread
#461 · January 15, 2026, 5:44 am
I expect Preller would like at least one significant upgrade in BOTH a SP and a RHH ... but can't always get what we would like ... in Preller case hamstrung by money (aren't we all) and just who is / may be available as a FA or via trade.
Under that scenario ... might end up with just one significant add and he has to choose and may just look at the highest impact player of the alternatives. Then fill the rest with low cost filler.
What makes dealing for Peralta make some sense ... only one year at $8MM is dirt cheap for a top of the rotation arm plus being only one year control should keep the trade cost down, then can't really see an impact bat on the market for anything near that. Basically Peralta's impact over Sears should be way more than player X over player Y for the offense given the realities of who is out there for the same price.
#462 · January 15, 2026, 10:10 am
Bud black and Will Myers back withe Padres. Both hired to work in Front Office.
#463 · January 15, 2026, 11:49 am
Reports of International Signees are beginning to roll in. Here is the first 3 mentioned from the mothership, Padres.com. All 3 were previously linked to the Padres. Cuban SS Joniel Hernandez; Mexican LHP Diego Serna; and Aruban INF Timothy Mogen. A more detailed list of international signees by the Pads will be released some time within the next week or so. Go Pads!
https://www.mlb.com/padres/news/san-diego-padres-2026-international-signings?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage
#464 · January 15, 2026, 5:07 pm
We have just under 6m to work with on the international market. I've only seen 2 bonuses reported which total 2.4m. I wouldn't be surprised to see some of our bonus money traded.
#465 · January 15, 2026, 5:19 pm
Quote from Jeremy Hill on January 15, 2026, 5:07 pmWe have just under 6m to work with on the international market. I've only seen 2 bonuses reported which total 2.4m. I wouldn't be surprised to see some of our bonus money traded.
Haven't seen a total list but did see (don't know if correct) some of the signees coming in at $600K, $350K, and $300K in scattered reports ... do expect that at least up to $4MM is spent. One additional unknown is if the Padres a deal with a prospect who can't be signed yet (age) but can be later in 2026.
But agree if money is not committed and that helps top off a trade ... needs to be in $250K increments ... makes sense.
#466 · January 15, 2026, 7:23 pm
4 years and 240m for Kyle Tucker. It's really hard to say that deferrals aren't an enormous problem. And if there aren't any... Man. 60m aav is outrageous.
#467 · January 15, 2026, 8:06 pm
Quote from sportwarrior on January 15, 2026, 7:23 pm4 years and 240m for Kyle Tucker. It's really hard to say that deferrals aren't an enormous problem. And if there aren't any... Man. 60m aav is outrageous.
$30M in deferred monies. Makes it crazy the amount of money that they have deferred.
#468 · January 16, 2026, 3:06 am
Quote from BoosterSD on January 15, 2026, 8:06 pmQuote from sportwarrior on January 15, 2026, 7:23 pm4 years and 240m for Kyle Tucker. It's really hard to say that deferrals aren't an enormous problem. And if there aren't any... Man. 60m aav is outrageous.
$30M in deferred monies. Makes it crazy the amount of money that they have deferred.
LAD 2026 payroll now estimated at $429MM ... half of that would still put them in the top 10 of payrolls ahead of 20 teams ... 4-5X the bottom 10 teams ... probably around the bottom 5 teams combined.
CBT level is about $396MM ... $91MM above the threshold for the highest tier ... meaning they are in the 110% penalty bracket and it is costing them for Tucker (pay and penalty) $120MM per year ... that is more than 9-10 teams' total payroll.
Note that the NYM are are running 2nd with a $295MM payroll ($296MM CBT) ... just shy of the last threshold.
Some will say the other teams should just start paying more (their cheap / they are rich) but that gap in payroll is getting greater year by year and for top players the LAD/NYM can (and will) just keep raising the ante and that will result in paying more for status quo. Not a great business formula for the smaller franchises (but one the union likes).
Can only speculate how this signing alters the other 29 owners approach to the CBA negotiations this fall ... seeing their individual best interests.
Salary cap will be up and the union likely will not go that route.
Not sure this will "help" or hurt but if the CBT continues in the new CBA ... maybe the penalties should shift from money (clearly the top spenders don't care) and shift to loss of top draft picks and international bonus pool money. Essentially cut at the spenders' pipeline of new players that can be used as trade chips or cushion the paid high salaries.
Other than putting pressure on their spending ... not sure the other teams will be over concerned since AL teams still can battle for a WS slot (LAD/NYM in NL) and some NL teams still see a path to the playoffs and believe than can still win a "short series" in the playoffs. All true but would not under value the concern on a rising payroll threshold.
CBA negotiations should be "interesting".
#469 · January 16, 2026, 6:10 am
The problem is that it's a lot harder to convince those teams near the bottom in payroll to spend more when whatever they spend won't amount to much.
The Rockies could ADD $150 mil to their '26 payroll and still finish 3rd-4th in the NL West.
Same with many teams....it may add some ticket sales and merch sales.....but not close to enough to convince their cheap owner to spend.
The larger the gap gets the less likely the bottom will ever rise unless there's a forced floor in the new CBA. and there will never be a floor without a ceiling.
Lockout in coming
#470 · January 16, 2026, 6:47 am
Agree on the lockout.
I guess the teams (other than in the NL West) could just ignore the LAD and keep a status quo on spending strategy .... just enough to win their Division and get a roll of the dice to win the World Series (as it is now) in a set of short series. The concern is that a few teams ... NYM, TOR. PHIL ... could go the LAD route and squeeze a few more teams out of the contention runs in their Divisions. Basically set up a much more dramatic split from the big money teams and the pack.
Hard to project the impact of such a major separation. From a national perspective (and total MLB TV etc) ... if the big markets are "covered" with successful teams (NY, BOST, Canada, PHIL, CHI, LA) the league will do fine. Would be concerned with the other market teams ... at some point if those markets rarely contend (if ever) they may lose a lot of local attendance, etc (sure keep the hard core fans but that is not enough to sustain value). Will see more teams like the moving OAK franchise, MIA, TB, CLEV, PITT etc where virtually no one shows up ... making their increasing spending less likely.
Will that possibility make enough franchises take a stand against the big guys ... probably NOT in the short turn. IF the owners don't see erosion in the growth in franchise value at sale (that is where the big money is made) may just make noise and shoot to minimize current costs.