Luis Arráez had a strong season, posting impressive numbers that included 181 hits, 61 RBIs, and a .292 batting average. While his production helped the San Diego Padres reach the Wild Card, their run ended there, and now he and seven other teammates are officially free agents who could leave the organization.
One teammate whose future is uncertain before the 2026 season is reliever Robert Suárez. In his fourth season with the Padres, Suárez recorded 40 saves across 70 games but is not tied to the team as he holds a player option.
The list of potential departures isn’t limited to pitchers. It also includes Ryan O’Hearn, who could leave as a free agent, and catcher Elias Díaz, who played in 106 games this season, contributing 9 home runs and 52 hits with a .204 batting average.
List of Padres free agents:
- Luis Arraez
- Dylan Cease
- Robert Suarez (player option)
- Michael King (mutual option)
- Wandy Peralta (player option)
- Ramon Laureano (club option)
- Elias Diaz (mutual option)
- Ryan O’Hearn
- Jose Iglesias
- Nestor Cortes
Six Relatively Good Years for the Padres
The last six seasons, which saw Luis Arráez and others contribute, have been relatively successful for the Padres. The team reached the playoffs four times during that span, including a run to the NLCS in 2022 where they fell to the Phillies. While the ultimate goal remains the World Series (last reached in 1998), the organization has enjoyed a significant run of competitiveness.
That competitiveness, however, made the recent elimination sting. “It s—,” Manny Machado said after being knocked out of the postseason. “For sure. It’s a position you don’t want to be in. We wanted to be holding up the trophy at the end of the year. It was our goal at the beginning of the season. We fell short.”
The focus now shifts to the offseason, awaiting the opening of negotiations between the Padres and the eight players who could depart or sign new contracts. It is likely that those who posted the best averages during the season will receive another opportunity from the team, unless they field better offers from rival clubs.
see also
MLB World Series champions through the decades: A year-by-year breakdown
