Report: Padres mulling trading away stars to lower payroll

The future is murky in San Diego after striking out on Roki Sasaki.

The club has entertained the idea of trading away some of its star players to lower payroll commitments for 2025 and pursue more affordable talent, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune.

The Padres already have roughly $194 million committed to player salaries despite a quiet offseason thus far, per Spotrac. Key 2024 contributors Jurickson Profar and Tanner Scott remain unsigned free agents.

San Diego has several massive long-term deals on its books.

Infielder Xander Bogaerts will make $25 million annually through 2033, Manny Machado still has nine years and more than $300 million on his contract, and the 14-year, $340-million deal Fernando Tatis Jr. signed runs until 2034.

Tatis is still just 26 and remains a relative bargain despite back-to-back down seasons by his standards. Bogaerts and Machado, however, are 32 and would theoretically be challenging to move given their salaries.

On the pitching side, 38-year-old Yu Darvish is still owed $67 million over the next four years. Joe Musgrove will make $20 million in 2025 but is expected to miss the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

San Diego will have a hole in left field and its bullpen if these contracts ultimately prevent reunions with Profar and Scott.

The Padres are coming off a promising 93-win season in 2024. However, they have to share the NL West with the juggernaut Los Angeles Dodgers, who have added Sasaki and Blake Snell and re-signed Teoscar Hernández among a plethora of moves this offseason.