The San Diego Padres' season did not end how A.J. Preller imagined it in his head. After an impressively gutsy, all-out gambit at the trade deadline, the Padres faltered in the NL Wild Card and couldn't get past the (very flawed) Chicago Cubs. Far too often down the stretch, even with Fernando Tatis Jr. in the lineup, San Diego's offense went quiet and the starting pitching just couldn't put their bulletproof bullpen in a position to swing the outcome of games.
It's not like the Padres are going anywhere, but the winds of change are starting to howl, and that includes speculation about Tatis' future. This is Preller's final season under contract, while the ongoing dispute among San Diego's ownership group leaves the Padres in a compromised financial state. This team is certainly talented enough to contend, but the potential departures of key free agents like Dylan Cease, Michael King and Robert Suárez will be deeply felt.
Why Fernando Tatis Jr. could actually be on the trade block
As San Diego navigates its backloaded cap sheet, USA Today insider Bob Nightengale believes a Tatis trade could become possible, noting that his 14-year, $340 million contract "suddenly looks rather reasonable" in the current landscape of MLB salaries.
While he doesn't believe the Padres want to trade Tatis right now, circumstances can change quickly in MLB. All it takes is one team willing to take on Tatis' (still-escalating) annual salary and with enough prospect capital to pique San Diego's interest. It's worth noting that the Padres' farm system is in dire straits after Preller's deadline splurge, so there could be pressure to get younger and expand the organization's depth.
Here are 10 possible landing spots for Tatis, ranked from long shots to the obvious frontrunners.
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10. Seattle Mariners
This would probably be ideal for Tatis geographically, as it keeps him on the west coast (albeit on the opposite end). The Seattle Mariners are also in a position to contend for years to come, with a supercharged pitching staff and an increasingly potent offense, anchored by an MVP candidate in Cal Raleigh and a perennial All-Star in Julio Rodríguez. Seattle risks losing several major contributors this winter, however, as Eugenio Suárez, Josh Naylor and Jorge Polanco are all free agents. Depending on how that market shakes out, Seattle could find itself motivated to go all-in for a titanic talent like Tatis — especially given the depth of the Mariners' farm system.
9. Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers are at an organizational crossroads just a couple years after scaling the mountaintop. Bruce Bochy is out. Skip Schumaker is in — and it's a great hire. But how does the roster evolve from here? Many of the veterans who led the Rangers' World Series run a couple years ago just aren't up to the task anymore. Texas has several holes to plug, but this is typically a club with plenty of spending power. Tatis would join Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford to form one of the most naturally talented outfield trios in MLB, with an understanding that Adolis García is either bumped to DH or traded elsewhere to create space.
8. Detroit Tigers
After a spirited effort to sign Alex Bregman last offseason, the Detroit Tigers are probably back in the market for a needle-moving bat. Tarik Skubal looms large over every move the Tigers make, but really no matter how that situation breaks, Detroit should find the motivation to at least consider Tatis at what is, by any 2025 standard, a discounted annual salary (for now...). If Skubal gets dealt, that's just more financial freedom to take on Tatis. If he sticks around in a walk year, Detroit needs to push its chips in before Skubal leaves. If by some miracle he signs an extension, that's all the more reason to put the "small market" criticisms to bed and give Skubal major offensive support for years to come.
7. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are going to poke around all the big names in the outfield — Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, and potentially even Fernando Tatis Jr. The only reason L.A. doesn't place higher in these rankings, given their need for an outfield bat and their overflowing farm system, is the simple fact that Preller would probably rather take the second-best offer than hand Tatis over to the enemy. The Dodgers are the Thanos-like specter every team, especially in the NL West, is chasing. Preller's goal is to ultimately topple L.A., not add to their advantage. That said, it's a business transaction at the end of the day and L.A. has the assets to tempt Preller into a deal, so long as he believes San Diego is "winning" this trade.
6. San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are quietly in position to catch MLB by surprise next season. Rafael Devers is still an absolute monster. Matt Chapman and Willy Adames aren't slouches. San Francisco has waited patiently to make its big splash in recent years, whiffing on Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto, but pulling a rabbit out of the hat with Devers. Buster Posey has his eyes on the prize and there's no reason to think he wouldn't roll the dice again on a Tatis trade, especially after giving up pennies on the dollar for Devers. San Francisco runs into the same problem as L.A., though, as San Diego is probably resistant to the idea of trading Tatis within the division. Then again, the Giants aren't exactly the Dodgers.
5. Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays were painfully close to capturing their first World Series title since the early 90s. That should only motivate Ross Atkins to go 110 percent all offseason, and Atkins is already one of the most aggressive GMs in MLB by nature. Bo Bichette's impending departure could open the door for a major swing like this, with Tatis sliding into right field and Addison Barger shifting to third base. Toronto's lineup is one of the most well-rounded and explosive in recent memory; Tatis could crank things up another notch, offering great protection behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — or vice versa.
4. New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are at risk of losing two outfielders to free agency, with Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham both hitting the open market. Bellinger feels more likely to re-sign, and Jasson Domínguez will almost certainly factor into New York's solution, but the door is open for a blockbuster trade. Tatis was not at his best this past season, but his ceiling is among the highest in MLB as a five-tool superstar with incredible raw power — and, importantly for New York, a history of clutch postseason hitting. He can help counterbalance Aaron Judge's October slumps and give the Yankees a bit more juice in their quest to reclaim the AL East.
3. Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs aren't typically keen on huge long-term commitments, but Tatis' contract feels so affordable by 2025 standards that even Jed Hoyer could get in on the action — especially with Kyle Tucker widely expected to depart as a free agent. There will be tremendous pressure to replace Tucker after such a successful season. Chicago needs to address other areas of the roster, such as the rotation, but Tucker's bat clearly moved the needle for a Cubs team that missed the postseason entirely a year ago. Whereas Tucker was a rental, Tatis is under contract through 2034. Chicago can set and forget him at the top of the lineup.
2. New York Mets
The New York Mets found their corner outfield pillars in Juan Soto and Brandon Nimmo, but centerfield remains something of a vacant lot right now. Predictably, the Cedric Mullins trade didn't really pan out, and Tyrone Taylor isn't doing nearly enough offensively to hold down the fort. Top prospect Carson Benge should factor in sooner than later, but Tatis fits an awfully appealing profile for GM David Stearns — that of a plus-defending, high-slugging outfielder who can run the bases, draw walks, and get on base a ton. He can protect Soto in place of free agent Pete Alonso, who is expected to depart, and pave the way for Soto's eventual move to DH.
1. Philadelphia Phillies
So, the Philadelphia Phillies need help in the outfield. Harrison Bader is a free agent, Nick Castellanos is an increasingly popular trade candidate, and Justin Crawford can only guarantee so much as a rookie. The Phillies need slugging, especially with Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto both, also, free agents. If Schwarber leaves in particular, that puts immense pressure on Dave Dombrowski to deliver another impact bat. And Tatis' contract, while exorbitant in length, is rather light on annual value at the moment — certainly within Philadelphia's price range. As such, the Phillies are worth keeping tabs on here. Big Dave is overdue for a big swing.