The first decision regarding the San Diego Padres came with the start of MLB Winter Meetings. Manager Craig Stammen and president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller stated the San Diego bullpen
will remain intact. There have been questions about Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and possibly David Morgan moving from the ‘pen to the starting rotation due to the significant need for starting pitching. Stammen and Preller confirmed none of the three will be converted to starters – for now.
Padres News:
- San Diego signed another reliever to an MLB contract the team announced Monday. Right-hander Daison Acosta will join Ty Adcock as another free-agent arm in an ever-growing bullpen. Acosta has spent eight seasons in the minor leagues with the New York Mets and Washington Nationals but has yet to make his MLB debut.
- Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune noted a Preller extension is still being discussed with current Padres chairman John Seidler and that the expectation is a deal will come to fruition at some point.
- According to John Seidler, in another story from the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee, San Diego expects to have a payroll similar to where it was for the 2025 season. He added the team is operating as it has the past several years.
- Desperate times call for desperate measures and by all accounts the Padres are desperate to clear some payroll in order to have the financial flexibility needed to address the holes on the roster. The was made more evident with an article from Dennis Lin of The Athletic, who reported San Diego will listen to offers for starter Nick Pivetta. Jake Cronenworth is also expected to be shopped in an effort to create some financial freedom, but no deals are eminent on either front.
- Stammen is finalizing his staff, adding three more coaches according to a report from Mark Polishuk from MLB Trade Rumors. Bob Henley, Ryan Goins and Kevin Plawecki are coming on as the third base coach, infield coach and catching coach, respectively.
Baseball News:
- The Detroit Tigers have made it known that no one on their roster is untouchable, and that includes 2025 AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.
- Free agent first baseman Pete Alonso is expected to meet with the Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Red Sox, Tuesday at the winter meetings. Both teams are expective to be active in free agency and both are looking to convince Alonso to don their jersey in 2026.
- It was reported the Red Sox have already had a video meeting with another big-name free agent, infielder Bo Bichette. It is unknown if Boston would sign both Alonso and Bichette, but it does appear the Rod Sox fully intend to add offense this offseason.
- Free agent starter Framber Valdez reportedly met with the San Francisco Giants, New York Mets and Orioles. He is widely considered the best free agent starter available after Dylan Cease agreed to a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Giants, Mets and Orioles will surely have competition from other teams before Valdez makes his decision.
- The buzz around a possible trade for Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte started before the winter meetings and it has grown at the meetings with reports stating the trade interest has increased. Marte is one of a few notable players to garner trade interest with some of the others being Tampa Bay Rays starter Shane Baz, Washington Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore and shortstop C.J. Abrams. Will any or all of these players be moved is anyone’s guess. The conversation about a Baz trade may increase after it was reported the Rays agreed to a deal with free agent left-hander Steven Matz.
