The San Diego Padres have been aggressive in the trade market in recent years. Rather than risk losing Juan Soto to free agency and getting into an unprecedented bidding war, they opted to trade him last year to maximize their return. Reports suggest they might take a similar approach this offseason, potentially moving starting pitchers Dylan Cease and Michael King.
However, with Spring Training already underway, it appears the Padres won’t be making any major roster changes. According to Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, general manager A.J. Preller—known for his aggressive approach—plans to take a more cautious stance this time.
“Significant trades in spring training are rare. San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller, who has entertained conversations on Dylan Cease and Michael King, prefers to keep his team together, sources say,” Rosenthal and Mooney reported.
Padres look to finish the job in 2025
For a moment in last year’s playoffs, the Padres seemed poised to once again derail the Dodgers’ World Series aspirations. They held a 2-1 lead in the 2024 NLDS before Los Angeles’ pitching took control and shut them down for the remainder of the series.
Given that the Padres posed the biggest postseason challenge to the Dodgers, it would be questionable for them to weaken their roster in the name of asset management and long-term planning. Dylan Cease was a reliable ace atop San Diego’s rotation last season, posting a strong 3.47 ERA across 33 starts (189.1 innings) and contributing 4.8 WAR, per FanGraphs.
Meanwhile, Michael King thrived in his first full season as a starter, finishing with a 2.95 ERA and making 30 starts—demonstrating his ability to handle a full rotation workload.
Both Cease and King are set to hit free agency after the 2025 season, but given their importance to the team, they are likely to remain with the Padres through the season, especially with the team shifting focus toward contention. While it’s uncertain if San Diego will have the budget to retain them long-term, their current win-now approach suggests they can’t afford to prioritize the future over the present.