The San Diego Padres found a stopgap in Freddy Fermin, but that doesn’t mean they found a long-term answer. That’s the crux of San Diego’s offseason riddle. A.J. Preller patched 2025 with a midseason deal for Fermin, and the veteran delivered competent at-bats and steady game-calling. Still, if the Padres are serious about contending in 2026, they need more than “competent.” They need a catcher who can steal strikes, deter the run game, absorb 110–120 starts, and give the bottom third of the lineup some real oxygen. Fermin helped stabilize the room; he didn’t solve it. (He hit .
Latest Cardinals trade rumors are music to desperate Padres' ears
