The San Diego Padres are entering their first offseason under new owners Jos E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones. How much they're willing and able to invest in the roster via free agency is anyone's guess.
This much is known: free agent pitchers Michael King (if he opts out) and Adrian Morejon were integral members of the Padres' 91-win team in 2026. Walker Buehler went from a non-roster invitee in spring training to the team's co-leader in games started. Jason Adam, Ty France, Luis Rengifo and Austin Hays are all free to sign elsewhere in 2027 after making meaningful contributions in 2026.
While each of them might look good in brown and yellow in 2027, it will be difficult to keep them all. For some other pending Padres free agents, the case to cut bait is more clear-cut. Another player is under team control, but looks like a strong trade candidate.
Here are the six players most likely to be gone before Opening Day of next season:
Mize was a sensible acquisition at the trade deadline who pitched so poorly (2-4, 7.46 ERA) after arriving in San Diego, he wasn't allowed to take the mound in the postseason. The right-hander was a valuable pitcher for the Detroit Tigers the last two seasons, enough to command a multi-year contract at age 29. He won't get his best offer from the Padres.
Ray (3-2, 5.02) was only a little better than Mize after arriving in a deadline trade with the San Francisco Giants . The veteran lefty allowed three runs across two abbreviated postseason appearances. At 35, his best days are behind him. The Padres are unlikely to want him back.
Mutual options are almost never exercised, since both the team and player must agree on the exact salary figure in the contract. If there's mutual interest in a reunion, the two sides might negotiate a new deal. The Padres aren't likely to extend themselves to bring back Canning, who had a 5.68 ERA in 30 games in 2026.
A hip injury ended Laureano's season in June. He hit .203 in 53 games before that. The Padres are more likely to give Samad Taylor (who's under team control) a second look than give Laureano a second chance in free agency.
Andujar was an occasional threat at the plate (.259/.303/.423) in between a pair of IL stints during the regular season. He got a handful of at-bats in the postseason, but turns 32 in March and has already seen his defensive skills diminish to the point of becoming more of a liability than an asset.
Fermin enters his second year of arbitration eligibility after making $2.1 million in 2026. A small raise would not be prohibitively expensive, but the Padres won't want to carry three catchers after Ethan Salas emerged as a viable big-league option late in the season. There's always enough of a market for a backup catcher with Fermin's skillset and experience to make a trade a possibility.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/padres/onsi as Six Padres Players Most Likely to Be Gone Before Opening Day 2027 .
