As the Padres officially play out the string following the Marlins' victory on Friday that eliminated them from playoff contention, the focus can now turn to the offseason in earnest. While there are questions all over the roster on up to the front office, it's angling to be a transformative winter for the Friars.
With the club expected to cut payroll after spending $250 million-plus this season, some tough decisions may be on the horizon. One example comes from the San Diego Union-Tribune and Kevin Acee who explored the possibility of center fielder Trent Grisham being non-tendered this offseason.
He made $3.175 million in his first year of arbitration, and arbitration salaries do not go down year over year. It’s a tough glove to lose in center field, but the sinkhole of a .191 batting average and .646 OPS over his past 1,062 plate appearances makes a non-tender possible.
While Grisham was a bit better this season, he's still been one of the least valuable hitters in baseball over the last two seasons. Working in his favor to stay in San Diego is his age (he's still just 26) and the three more seasons of team control the Padres would have. Also, of course, the elite glove that comes with the two time Gold Glove award winner.
If he could get anywhere close to the production he had in 2020 and 2021, the center fielder would be an absolute steal at somewhere in the ballpark of $4 million in 2024 (although he may earn more in arbitration). But at his current clip, it's hard not to agree with Acee about Grisham's future at Petco Park being in doubt.
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