2024-25 MLB Offseason Recap: San Diego Padres

The 2024 campaign was a smashing success for the Padres, as San Diego won 93 games, second-most in franchise history. The Padres saw Jackson Merrill blossom from prospect to star, while Dylan Cease and Michael King emerged as the team’s co-aces. However, with a significant amount of money already committed for 2025, San Diego wasn’t particularly active this winter.

Notable Additions

• SP Kyle Hart (Did not pitch in MLB last season – KBO)
• OF Jason Heyward (1.2 bWAR in 2024)
• 1B/OF Connor Joe (0.6 bWAR)
• RP Ron Marinaccio (0.2 bWAR)

It was a much quieter offseason for the Padres, somewhat expected given how much money San Diego has committed for 2025. The Padres didn’t sign any player this winter past one year, including Connor Joe.

Joe was non-tendered by the Pirates in November after he posted a .688 OPS last season. His biggest asset is his ability to work counts — Joe has a career .337 OBP — to get on base.

The other notable signing was of Kyle Hart, the ex-Red Sox who signed a one-year, $1MM deal with a $5MM club option for 2026. It’s a low-risk move for the Padres and a bet that Hart can sustain the success he had with NC in the KBO last year. Hart struck out 182 batters over 159 frames and posted a 2.69 ERA.

The 32-year-old is competing for the team’s #5 spot in the rotation.

Notable Losses

• C Kyle Higashioka (1.4 bWAR)
• INF Ha-Seong Kim (2.6 bWAR)
• SP Martin Perez (0.9 bWAR, 1.0 bWAR with Padres)
• OF Jurickson Profar (3.6 bWAR)
• INF Donovan Solano (1.0 bWAR)
• RP Tanner Scott (4.0 bWAR, 0.7 bWAR with Padres)

The Padres are projected to finish above the $241MM tax threshold in 2025. And even though rumors swirled that San Diego was going to off money — Luis Arraez, Dylan Cease, Michael King, and Robert Suarez all had their names thrown around in trade rumors — none of that came to fruition.

However, San Diego couldn’t retain many key pieces from their 2024 team.

Kyle Higashioka, who took over the Padres’ catching job last season and blasted 17 home runs after midseason adjustments, signed with the Rangers. Ha-Seong Kim signed with the Rays, leaving Xander Bogaerts — who fit well at second base (+6 OAA) — as the probable shortstop.

The most notable losses, though, were of Jurickson Profar and Tanner Scott. Both signed with National League rivals.

Profar signed a three-year deal with the Braves, as he cashed in after a career season that saw him belt 24 home runs. Scott, meanwhile, took over the Dodgers’ closer job after he signed a four-year deal from rival Los Angeles.

What to Expect in 2025

The Padres still have their stars. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado headline a lineup that’s still deep, while their rotation — even without Joe Musgrove –has two 200+ strikeout pitchers and Yu Darvish, who’s currently dealing with elbow inflammation.

It does sting that the Padres lost pieces like Kim, Profar, and even Martin Perez, who helped fill out the back-end of their rotation nicely.

Those names were unheralded stars. Kim’s range at short made him a stronger fit at the position than Bogaerts, who will move back to short after San Diego pushed him off in 2024. And for Profar, his power and ability to work counts made him one of the game’s most underrated players.

While the Padres should remain competitive in the NL Wild Card race, San Diego won’t have it as easy in 2025.