Padres Hot Stove: MLB insider predicts potential moves for San Diego ahead of 2025 season

With pitchers and catchers set to report for Cactus League play next week, the San Diego Padres remain a team in flux, according to MLB insider Jon Morosi on the MLB Network's "Hot Stove" on Monday.

With San Diego having shown a penchant for making big moves throughout spring training, Morosi painted a few scenarios that could take place in the coming weeks after Padres general manager A.J. Preller said the team needed to add a couple of arms and a few bats when he took the stage at the team's FanFest last weekend.

"It is now just as likely that the Padres will move some of their younger prospects to bring back some reliable innings," Morosi said.

In Morosi's opinion, catcher Ethan Salas and middle infielder Leodalis De Vries likely wouldn't be moved, but he entertained the idea of other prospects, and possibly even veterans like Dylan Cease, being sent off to teams like the Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals or Chicago Cubs, to bring back some reliable innings and shed some payroll.

"It's possible Preller does both. He might buy and sell," Morosi said. "Maybe he moves Dylan Cease in a package that brings back some younger starting pitching."

With Joe Musgrove expected to miss most of the 2025 season following Tommy John surgery in October, stabilizing the rotation and bullpen remains a top priority for Padres management as pitchers and catchers prepare to report.

Surprising low-key offseason for the San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres enter the MLB season as one of a handful of teams with shorter than 10/1 odds at sportsbooks to win the National League pennant.

Playing second fiddle to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West has become commonplace. The Friars enter the year 6/1 choices to win the division behind the defending champs (-650) and ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks (11/1), San Francisco Giants (35/1) and Colorado Rockies (500/1).

Not bad for a team whose biggest additions include Elias Diaz, Ron Marinaccio and Juan Nunez. Michael King was recently signed to a one-year, $7.75 million deal with an option for an additional year.

The quiet offseason isn't what fans have grown accustomed to with Preller at the helm since 2021. This slowdown suggests financial concerns within the organization, a hot take only bolstered by Preller's comments over the weekend. Given his aggressive track record, it's hard to imagine this sitting well with him.