MLB Insider Provides Massive Update on Padres' Xander Bogaerts Trade

Sam Garcia | Feb 2, 2025

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres are in a difficult spot this offseason. With a tight budget and no major additions to the roster, the Padres’ 2025 season is already looking like a bust.

“They put themselves in a tough corner,” MLB insider Jim Bowden said on Foul Territory. “Until the ownership either provides more resources or gets settled, I don't see the Padres situation in the front office changing until that changes.”

The Padres have said they'd trade a top prospect with Xander Bogaerts if another team is willing to take on his contract, per @JimBowdenGM on @FoulTerritoryTV https://t.co/IzZMRLjtfn pic.twitter.com/O7F2zHF6mf

— Talking Friars (@TalkingFriars) January 30, 2025

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Starting pitcher Roki Sasaki was the Padres’ best shot at landing a superstar player for a cheap price. However, the international free agent signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers instead.

The Padres advanced to the NL Division Series and nearly missed the NL Championship Series in 2024. Since then, San Diego has lost key players to free agency like outfielder Jurickson Profar and shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, who signed with the Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Rays, respectively.

San Diego’s limited budget has been a glaring issue this offseason. The Padres are focusing on ways to trim their payroll, even if it means parting ways with a five-time AL Silver Slugger.

“They've also gone down the path of saying, ‘Hey, we'll trade one of our top prospects with Xander Bogaerts, if you take Bogaerts’ contract,’” Bowden said. 

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Bogaerts signed an 11-year, $280 million contract with the Padres in 2023. Trading the four-time AL All-Star would free up some of the Padres’ payroll.

A left shoulder fracture in May limited Bogaerts production this season. But, the two-time World Series champion typically excels at the plate, slashing .285/.350/.440 in 2023.

However, Padres manager Mike Shildt recently confirmed Bogaerts will be returning to shortstop for the 2025 season.

"Once it looked like Kimmy was not going to be able to come back ... the way the team was getting built, it looked like it was an opportunity for Bogey to play short,” Shildt said at Fan Fest Saturday. “So I had a great conversation with Bogey probably a month ago. He had already had his head around wanting [it] and training to go back and play shortstop. He was very enthusiastic about it."

Read more: Mike Shildt Announces Padres Starting Shortstop for 2025 Season

The confirmation of Bogaerts return to shortstop makes it unlikely the Padres would trade him away, especially when his departure would create another hole for the team to fill.

Regardless, it seems the Padres only way into the postseason in 2025 is as a Wild Card team. Bowden said San Diego is deciding between two routes to finish the offseason.

“Number one, we could go for it. Try to get a wild card birth. It doesn't work. We can make trades at the trade deadline to retool,” Bowden said. “Or let's see if we can't get six or seven prospects for three of our better players now and kind of start this rebuild now, because financially, it's not going to get any better.”