ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Winter Meetings came and went, and the Padres’ lone transaction was a relatively minor one. They signed right-hander Daison Acosta to a one-year Major League contract on Monday, then were mostly quiet.
Don’t mistake that for an uneventful week. Following three days in Orlando, it seems likelier than before that the Padres will have an eventful winter. There are potential trades in the works. There are potential signings in the works.
“We’re actively talking on both fronts,” said general manager A.J. Preller.
A busy offseason remains a distinct possibility. Of course, with Preller as GM, it pretty much always is.
BIGGEST REMAINING NEEDS
1) Starting pitching
The question isn’t “if” the Padres will add a starting pitcher. It’s “when?” “how?” and “how many?” They lost Dylan Cease to free agency. They’re almost certainly going to lose Michael King as well. Yu Darvish underwent right elbow surgery and will miss the 2026 season. The Padres need to add multiple starting pitchers -- probably no fewer than three. How they get there is a major question. They’re likely to look for discount free-agent signings. But trading for a mid- to front-line starter remains a possibility as well.
2) A slugging first base/DH type
Really, starting pitching is the Padres’ first, second and third priority. But if there’s one area of need on offense, it’s at first base, with Luis Arraez and Ryan O’Hearn both on the free-agent market. The Padres’ lack of power was a glaring issue in 2025. To some extent, they can start to solve that with more production from their superstars. But on top of that, expect San Diego to add a bat with some pop.
3) Bench depth
San Diego’s lineup seems mostly set, aside from the first-base vacancy. But perhaps Preller would look to add a platoon partner for Gavin Sheets at DH. Luis Campusano might already be capable of filling that role. But the Padres could use some competition with Campusano for the backup catcher spot, too. Plus, they’ll need to assess whether they need another versatile backup infielder or if Will Wagner can fill that Jose Iglesias role in 2026.
HE SAID IT
New manager Craig Stammen met with reporters for the first time since his introductory press conference last month. He spoke on a variety of subjects, including his recent trip to the Dominican Republic to meet with a handful of his players, including Fernando Tatis Jr.:
“It was a lot of fun. It was the first time I'd ever been there. It was an experience for me to see so many of my teammates, where they live and how they grew up and how important baseball is to that country.
“Then we drove all over the place and got to see different cities and different places. We got to visit with Fernando and [Ramón] Laureano, Wandy [Peralta], Randy Vásquez, saw Campusano playing. And we got to see our [Dominican Summer League] complex, which is absolutely amazing. It made me very proud to be a Padre visiting that complex and how they take care of our young men that are in our organization at that level.”
MORE FROM THIS WEEK
- If -- or more likely when -- the Padres make a trade, here are four candidates to be dealt, ranked from most likely to least likely.
- Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and David Morgan will remain in the bullpen, after speculation that they might move to the rotation. Here’s why the Padres made that decision.
- The Dominican Republic, led by Tatis and Manny Machado, should feature a loaded roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
- Longtime scout Logan White, the Padres senior adviser and director of player personnel, was honored as one of the Scouts of the Year, then announced his retirement.
GM'S BOTTOM LINE
The biggest takeaway from three days in Orlando: Don’t rule anything out. Are there major trades incoming? Possibly? Might it be a calm offseason, in which the Padres make one or two signings and one or two smaller deals to fill out their rotation? Also possible.
Preller wasn’t tipping his hand. In an appearance on MLB Network, he was lauded for his poker face. Then, when asked about reports that the Padres could be in store for a frenzied offseason -- at the level of some of Preller’s previous transaction sprees -- he offered this:
“It’s that time of year,” Preller said. “You’re in these rooms, and you have all kinds of ideas and thoughts flying, 99% of them don’t come to fruition.”
Yes, but that 1% could get awfully interesting. Stay tuned.