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The San Diego Padres came oh so close to making it back to the NLCS in 2024, only falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the end. They managed to achieve this despite deciding to trade Juan Soto away prior to the start of the season, and as things stand, they are looking like one of the best teams in the NL heading into the 2025 campaign as well.
However, there is simply no resting for Padres president and general manager A.J. Preller on the trade front. Every offseason is an opportunity for the Padres to try and set themselves up for a much more sustainable way of contending, and to that end, a few of their key players may be available for trade.
As per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Padres are “listening on almost all their veterans”, although Heyman did make note that it's rather unlikely that San Diego is listening as well on trade overtures for Manny Machado or Yu Darvish. On that note, it's relevant to point out that the Padres reportedly have received inquiries on Dylan Cease, Luis Arraez and even Xander Bogaerts.
Padres need not do anything major to contend in 2025
Unlike other teams, the Padres don't have to swing for the fences to be a force in the MLB next season. All they have to do is to run it back, re-signing Jurickson Profar, Kyle Higashioka, and Ha-Seong Kim, and they should once again threaten the Los Angeles Dodgers' NL West supremacy.
But of course, the Padres have to think long-term, and they may find it difficult to keep both Dylan Cease and Luis Arraez moving forward, explaining why the team will be listening to trade offers for the two. Meanwhile, getting out of Xander Bogaerts' contract will be close to impossible.
Arraez and Bogaerts are coming off substandard seasons; Arraez's bat doesn't profile quite as well at first base, his position for the Padres, while Bogaerts' production isn't quite worth his hefty price tag.
Cease has only spent one season with the team; the Padres acquired him last offseason from the Chicago White Sox, and he was as good as advertised, starting 33 games, pitching 189.1 innings, and tallying 4.8 WAR (per Fangraphs) on the back of his strong 3.42 ERA that's backed up by stronger peripherals. However, he is in the final year of team control, and the Padres may not be able to bring him back following the 2025 season considering how expensive starting pitchers are going for in free agency.
