Luis Arraez, Dylan Cease, and Xander Bogaerts’ future with the San Diego Padres may not be set in stone. Per B/R Walk-Off, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Padres are actively listening to teams interested in their three franchise cornerstones (h/t Ryan Phillips of CBS 17).
Padres could avoid spending hefty on a trio of stars in 2026
Arraez and Cease are both approaching the final year of their respective deals in 2025. Bogaerts meanwhile is in the thick of a gargantuan 11-year, $280 million contract extension which took effect beginning in the 2023 season.
Despite Arraez being a ridiculously efficient hitter as a reigning batting champion three times over, and Cease having proved himself to be an ace in the Majors, San Diego sees the forest for the trees on their payroll well into the future. Both elite talents will likely demand a sizable pay raise on their next deals.
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Then there’s Bogaerts, who will cost the Padres significant dollars for the next eight years. By the time his deal expires, the four-time All-Star will be in his forties. He was limited to his fewest games played in a standard 162-game season since 2018, having played 111 games in 2024, but the five-time Silver Slugger Award winner is a stout defender, quality hitter, and base-stealer for the ball club.
Padres could swap elite talent for stable financial future
Though Arraez’s ability to hit well over .300 in his sleep is highly valuable to the team, Cease can fan batters with the best of them and Bogaerts has long been one of the best infielders in the big leagues, the Padres will look to see what’s out there for them and get ahead of a potentially strapping cap situation they could be hit with right around the corner.
