With the World Series underway and the inevitable end of the 2025 MLB season on the horizon, predictions about where players will end up and the money they will receive from their 2026 employers are coming
out. Jim Bowden of The Athletic provided a new set of predictions with his “Top 50 MLB free agents for 2025-26: Contract predictions, team fits for Tucker, Schwarber, more ” article, released Monday.
Bowden includes information and predictions for several players in the article. Some of his predictions include the Padres as a landing spot for free agents, while other predictions include his potential landing spots and contract expectations for soon-to-be free agents like Dylan Cease, Ryan O’Hearn and Luis Arraez. Bowden also included players like Michael King and Robert Suarez, who are expected to exercise opt-outs in their respective contracts, making them part of the free agent pool.
A handful of players are listed as potential fits in San Diego, including multiple starting pitchers. It’s no secret the Padres need to address their starting rotation in the offseason with Cease and King expected to leave in free agency, and questions about the health of Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove, who will be returning from Tommy John surgery, lingering.
The following is a list of players Bowden identifies as potential fits in San Diego along with his projected contracts for each player:
Framber Valdez – LHP – (6 years, $190 million)
Ranger Suarez – LHP – (6 years, $164 million)
Tatsuya Imai – RHP – (7 years, $154 million)
Zac Gallen – RHP – (5 years, $135 million)
Chris Bassitt – RHP – (2 years, $45 million)
Potential position player fits for San Diego, according to Bowden, include one player who is a former fan favorite:
Cody Bellinger – DH/1B – (6 years, $168 million)
Munetaka Murakami – 1B/3B – (6 years, $160 million)
Ha-Seong Kim – 2B/SS/3B – (3 years, $39 million)
J.T. Realmuto – C – (2 years, $34 million)
He identifies one relief pitcher as a fit with San Diego, and he too is a former Padre:
Drew Pomeranz – LHP – (1 year, $5 million)
Cease, King, Suarez, Arraez and O’Hearn are included in Bowden’s list of top free agents. Cease is predicted to land a six-year, $187 million contract, and the Padres are on the list of potential fits. Several other teams are listed as suitors for the 30-year-old right-hander despite his elevated numbers in 2025. Those teams include the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers.
King is expected to opt-out of a mutual option with the Padres and enter free agency. He is predicted to land a three-year, $75 million contract, which is certainly much lower than what would have been projected for the 30-year-old right-hander before 2025. Health issues were noted as the reason for suppressed contractual numbers. The Padres are one of several teams listed as fits for King with the other teams being the New York Yankees, Orioles, Braves, Mets, Cubs, Angels, Astros, Tigers and Red Sox.
Suarez, who was the 2025 National League saves leader with 40, like King, is expected to exercise his player opt-out and test free agency. Bowden sees Suarez getting a four-year contract for $80 million. He lists the Padres as a fit for Suarez, but with Mason Miller in position to take over the closer role, and being under contract for multiple years, the Padres can use the money from Suarez to make additions elsewhere. Bowden has the Mets, Dodgers, Yankees, Braves, Red Sox and Tigers as fits for Suarez.
Arraez, who won the batting title in three consecutive seasons prior to a down 2025, is predicted to net a two-year, $30 million contract. That number seems high for a player without a defined position on defense and a propensity to hit soft, shallow flyballs to left field as we saw throughout last season. Arraez is without a doubt a good contact hitter, but his inability to draw walks or steal bases limits his value on offense, which hurts his value especially if he is not hitting like a three-time batting champion. Bowden lists the Sacramento Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox and Angels as potential fits for Arraez.
O’Hearn is predicted to receive a two-year, $24 million contract, which seems to be a number the Padres should strongly consider. First base is an area of need and O’Hearn provides a solid glove and additional slug that San Diego lacked in 2025. A full season with the Padres and a defined role on the field with consistent at-bats could lead to a productive season for the 2025 All-Star. The Pirates, Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays are all listed as potential fits for O’Hearn.
The offseason is always filled with speculation, and this offseason will be no different. San Diego is still without a manager and Padres President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller’s future with the team seems unclear. Until those personnel matters are settled, speculation on player additions maybe premature, but that’s what fans do this time of year.
