Padres Insider Suggests Frugal Offseason for Friars as They Look to Get Payroll in Check

A new approach to the offseason?

Consistently among the league leaders in payroll under their current GM A.J. Preller, the Padres' latest failure to see playoff baseball this season may spell the end of his tenure in San Diego. 

In a column on Monday, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune revealed that a number of seismic changes could take place for the Friars this offseason as the club looks to balance its salary obligations and the mentality of big spending on the on-field product.

Here are a few key takeaways from the column.

Whatever happens with President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller and/or some of his lieutenants and/or manager Bob Melvin, the approach to revamping the roster this offseason will be altered, according to several sources familiar with the Padres’ plans.

Team officials have been talking for more than a year about getting costs under control as spending increases have outpaced their revenue increases.

In part because they are out of compliance with MLB regulations regarding their debt service ratio, according to multiple sources, the plan is to go into 2024 with player commitments of around $200 million.

The Padres will work to attain a complete, more affordable roster, according to Acee on X.com

via Kevin Acee, San Diego Tribune

Sporting an expensive roster in two separate eras of the Preller regime, 2023 may be the straw that breaks the proverbial camel's back. 

Failing to secure a division title since taking over the team in 2015, the front office's continued gutting of the farm system in exchange for star veteran additions haven't panned out the way the club has hoped.

Though the signing of Xander Bogaerts added to the team's potent lineup, San Diego's increasingly thinning pockets may signal that enough is enough. 

Such a shift in tactics means that expiring pitchers Blake Snell and Josh Hader could be out of the Padres' price range as free agents and more moves concerning Juan Soto's own contract next offseason.

As many in San Diego's organization are finding out very quickly, perhaps you really can't buy your way to a ring despite the team's concerted efforts to try for the last decade.

It's shaping up to be a fiery offseason at Petco Park.