Padres Linked to $76 Million Pitcher as Potential Blockbuster Free Agent Signing

Valentina Martinez | Dec 15, 2024

Oct 31, 2019; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres general manager AJ Preller (left) speaks to the media as manager Jayce Tingler is introduced at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images / Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres could be in for a reunion with starting pitcher Sean Manaea. Manaea isn't an ace, but he's a solid third or fourth option.

San Diego's ace Joe Musgrove is set to miss the entire 2025 season, meaning there is a vacant spot in the Padres rotation.

The New York Mets were projected to lose three starting pitchers this winter, including Manaea. The Mets already lost Luis Severino after he signed a three-year deal with the Athletics. Manaea had a strong finish down the stretch, putting him among the veteran second tier of starting pitcher this offseason.

In 2024, Manaea posted a 3.47 ERA with 184 strikeouts across 181.2 innings. Manaea outdid his 2021 career-best performance where he recorded a 3.91 ERA across 179.1 innings. The turning point of Manaea's season happened in July.

The left-hander shifted his pitch mix, adding more sinkers and less four-seamers. Additionally, Manaea altered his throwing motion. Now that fellow southpaw Yusei Kikuchi signed a three-year, $63 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels, Manaea has a price point to surpass.

The Padres need starting pitching, but the organization is also trying to get better while spending less. Although Manaea has been linked to his former team, it doesn't seem like the right fit.

Additionally, by acquiring Manaea, the Padres would lose a portion of money from their international bonus pool. It's widely known the Padres are strong contenders to sign Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki.

Sasaki is the biggest bargain in baseball since he's coming to MLB as an international amateur free agent. And for a team that is hoping to keep its payroll level from 2024 to 2025, it's hard to imagine the Padres would priortize going after Manaea if that affects the team's pursuits of Sasaki.

More News: Padres Free Agent Target Signs With Yankees

The Padres are well aware that other teams in the NL West have continued to spend money this winter. But the team remains optimistic that the roster will be a winning roster in 2025.

“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.”