Another AL Contender Linked to Padres $26 Million Breakout Star

Valentina Martinez | Jan 5, 2025

May 24, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Diego Padres hats in the dugout during the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images / Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Outfielder Jurickson Profar is one of multiple Friars free agents remaining on the market this winter. While the San Diego Padres have yet to address whether Profar will be returning, there's a chance another team could swoop in and get a deal done.

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The Boston Red Sox are still looking for a right-handed bat. According to Mass Live's Sean McAdam, the Red Sox are considering adding Profar to the lineup.

"Profar is the rare major leaguer who enjoyed his best major league season at 31, last year, when he posted a slash line of .280/.380./.459," McAdam wrote. "He also established career highs in homers (24), RBI (85) and slugging. He was named to the All-Star Game for the first time and then captured his first Silver Slugger. But as Profar nears his 32nd birthday, it’s fair to ask whether that was an aberration. And whether his level of production from 2024 can be sustained.

"Profar is versatile enough to contribute in both the outfield and infield, having played every position except catcher. But after 11 years in the big leagues, he’s, at best, a fringy defender. Versatility isn’t nearly as valuable when you’re below-average at most spots in the field."

Beyond his numbers, Profar brings a unique energy to the clubhouse that makes a huge impact for a team. However, though the Padres may want Profar to return next season, the organization still has to resolve its financial dilemma.

It's no secret the Padres are trying to cut payroll, but it's unclear how the offseason will unfold for the team since no major league signings or trades have been made. The Padres shed almost $100 million in payroll in 2023 and still found a way to be competitive.

President of baseball operations A.J. Preller will try and orchestrate another successful offseason, although how he will do so remains a mystery. Padres manager Mike Shildt doesn't think the team's lack of financial flexibility should affect the talent on the field.

“We’re not naive that there are certain organizations that have just more competitive advantages,” manager Mike Shildt said. “That’s no state secret, right? We live that every day. I can look at that, and we can look at that as, ‘Oh, woe is us. We don’t have the resources. We don’t have the flexibility. We don’t have the payroll or the income streams.’ And that can be absolutely accurate and factual, and it is. The reality from my seat, our clubhouse seat, our team seat is, it’s still a game that requires you to play right, compete a certain way, play the game a certain way. Clearly the more resources you have, the more talent you can accrue, and that’s real. Talent shows up. We can’t kid ourselves. But effectively it’s about how we’re going to figure out a way to compete and play the game right with the ability that we’ve been given.”

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