MLB Writer Laments Padres’ Sad Offseason

The San Diego Padres are coming off another competitive 2025 season (90-72, 2nd in competitive National League West, but their front office has been stuck in neutral this winter.

San Diego’s efforts to bolster the roster have yielded mixed results so far, with the signings of Korean import Sung Mun Song and pitcher Michael King standing out amid a sea of departures.

The Padres have watched Dylan Cease, Robert Suarez, and Ryan O’Hearn head elsewhere. Their other moves have been limited: re-signing some depth pieces but nothing that screams contention.

While the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to load up with star talent, and even the Arizona Diamondbacks have made savvy additions, the Padres appear stagnant by comparison. The San Francisco Giants were slow to start, but their winter has also picked up steam in ways San Diego’s hasn’t.

Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer recently wrote an article discussing the MLB teams with the most disappointing offseasons, and the Padres ranked near the top of his list.

“Honestly? It could be worse for the Padres,” Rymer wrote. “Song is bringing an intriguing power-speed blend over from Korea, and King has more than enough upside to justify his three-year, $75 million contract. What really stands out, though, is who’s not with San Diego right now … And while we can quibble about Luis Arraez’s true value, expecting Song to be as good as MLB’s reigning hits leader is asking a lot.”

“The Padres still have time to save face, but even A.J. Preller might not have enough magic in his wand to make it happen,” Rymer continued. “Sans spending capacity and marketable prospects, adding to the MLB roster could require subtracting from it, too.”

Since the turn of the new millenium, the Padres have only made six postseason appearances, with only one NLCS appearance (a 4-1 series loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022) to show for it.