The San Diego Padres are expected to have a ton of turnover this offseason.
The Padres could have up to 17 free agents hit the open market. Many of their most important players from 2026 — including starting pitcher Michael King, reliever Adrian Morejon and first baseman Ty France — are among them.
The Padres, of course, could bring all three of them back. However, they're all due for significant raises in 2027, and the Padres' payroll is already among the highest in MLB.
Thus, we'll look at three players (who were not on the Padres in 2026) that could be perfect fits in free agency this offseason.
1. Freddy Peralta, SP
I argued before the trade deadline that the Padres should acquire Peralta from the New York Mets. Instead, they added Robbie Ray and Casey Mize, who both struggled mightily in San Diego.
As for Peralta, he completely turned his season around in Tampa Bay, and is now playing for a World Series after winning the ALCS MVP award.
Peralta's resurgence with the Rays could price him out of San Diego's range. If president of baseball operations AJ Preller can work his magic with opt-outs and back-loaded deals (like he usually does), Peralta would be a perfect ace for San Diego moving forward.
The two-time All-Star had a 3.25 ERA over 55.1 innings with Tampa Bay in the second half. He currently has a 1.08 ERA across 16.2 postseason innings.
2. Shane Bieber, SP
The Padres need to add multiple starting pitchers this offseason. While they need at least one ace — which in this case would be Peralta — they'll also need to add middle-of-the-rotation pitchers.
Bieber, a two-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner, is a perfect candidate to be just that while potentially pitching to an even higher level.
Bieber had Tommy John surgery in 2024 and dealt with elbow inflammation this past year. When healthy, he had a 4.37 ERA over 55.2 innings with the disappointing Toronto Blue Jays.
The right-hander is now a free agent, where he'll likely look for a one-year, prove-it deal somewhere around the $10 million range. San Diego would be the perfect spot for the Orange County native to resurrect his career, likely on an incentive-laden deal.
3. Luis Arraez, INF
The Padres let Arraez walk last offseason, and he put together a breakout season with the San Francisco Giants before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies ahead of the deadline.
Arraez was an All-Star in 2026 with a .801 OPS as a member of the Giants. He also developed into one of the game's best defenders at second base.
Arraez has made it clear he wants to play second base. Thus, San Diego could sign him and move Jake Cronenworth to first base — or better yet, trade Cronenworth and replace him at second with Arraez.
Arraez will be 30 years old next season and still likely won't have the most vibrant free-agent market fighting for his services considering his unique style of play.
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