The Padres, in all likelihood, will lose out on two key infielders in Luis Arráez and Ryan O’Hearn, as both have officially hit free agency. While Jake Cronenworth will remain, his versatility could open the door for A.J. Preller to make a move for an infielder that he checked in on three years ago.
In 2022, the Padres checked in on New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil, but nothing came of it. At the time, McNeil’s trade value was at an all-time high, as he won the league batting title with a .