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The offseason is underway.
Greetings from the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas. It’s been a busy week already for the Padres. Robert Suarez and Jurickson Profar declined their player options, making them free agents. Meanwhile, the club is expected to decline Wil Myers’ $20 million option in the next day or two, making him a free agent as well.
That leaves Nick Martinez as the lone roster decision left to be sorted before free agency begins Thursday. Martinez can opt out of his contract with the Padres, but he is owed $19.5 million over the next three seasons.
In addition to Suarez, Profar, Myers and potentially Martinez, the Padres have six other players who became free agents once the World Series ended. That’s up to 10 players no longer on the roster — though there’s a legitimate case that any of the 10 could be back.
At the right price, of course. The decisions vary. There are a couple of clear priorities. A few others should only be welcomed back on a team-friendly deal.
Here’s my quick assessment of all 10 free agents and what might happen next:
Forget how his season ended. Suarez established himself as a dominant back-end weapon, a brilliant find by the Padres’ front office after he’d spent five seasons in Japan. Suarez posted a 2.27 ERA in 2022 and only got better as the season went on. Without a reliable bridge to closer Josh Hader, San Diego could use an arm like Suarez’s.
You know what the Padres really need? They need pitching depth. They need pitching flexibility. They need a pitcher who’s open to whatever role is asked, with a priority placed on starting. In short: They need Martinez.
A beloved clubhouse presence, Profar was a very useful player in 2022, serving as the team’s table-setter in the leadoff spot and a solid defender in left field. The Padres are open to a reunion with Profar, but there will be other corner outfielders on the market. It’s also possible Profar’s departure could clear a path for Fernando Tatis Jr. to switch to an outfield spot more permanently.
Verdict: Would be a valuable piece, but only at the right price
Bell fills an obvious need at first base. The Padres could use a power threat in the middle of their lineup, and they could use a serviceable first baseman. Then again, Bell won’t come cheap, and he plays a position where offense is generally easy to find.
Verdict: Check in, but more affordable options are available
Speaking of those other options, Drury is one who’s capable of playing all over the diamond. He can mash against left-handers and might fit this roster well (especially if the Padres were to bring back Profar, whose splits skew better against righties).
Verdict: Look to re-sign, but no need to splurge
This one’s a bit sentimental. Myers was the longest-tenured Padre and is beloved by fans in San Diego. But it sure felt like Myers’ time with the Friars came to an end with that NLCS loss to the Phillies. For all of Myers’ useful qualities, he hasn’t been reliable enough for the Padres to offer him a significant contract — and considering his upside at the plate, he might simply fetch a bigger deal elsewhere.
Verdict: Unlikely, but worth checking in
Johnson’s free agency comes with some health questions after he missed four months due to a right forearm injury. But Johnson answered some of those with his impressive postseason showing.
Verdict: There’s a place for him in the Padres’ 2023 bullpen at the right price
Entering his age-39 season, Stammen has said he’s open to pitching next year. The unquestioned leader in the Padres’ bullpen for half a decade, Stammen posted a 3.36 ERA in 333 appearances. He served in a pivotal do-everything role — capable of chewing up innings and working occasional high leverage. But he struggled last season, and it might be time to permanently hand that jack-of-all-trades role to Nabil Crismatt.
Verdict: Unlikely to re-sign
Mike Clevinger and Sean Manaea
Two similar cases. Both Clevinger and Manaea were useful at times in 2022. But they struggled down the stretch and were dreadful in the postseason. Clevinger dealt with a few health issues. Manaea’s mechanics were out of whack. It’s entirely possible they could both put it together and pitch well next season. But the Padres have awfully high aspirations and probably need a bit more reliability at the back end of their rotation.
Verdict: Let them prove it elsewhere, unless they’re open to a team-friendly deal