3 upcoming Padres free agents who have been good but don't need to be re-signed

The San Diego Padres have a large cohort of pending free agents in the 2025 offseason. As AJ Preller and his front office staff will soon need to make some tough decisions, here are three players who the team should let sign elsewhere, despite their good play in San Diego.

1. Luis Arraez

In his year-and-a-half with the Padres, Arraez has not been bad, but he has not been the player he was in Miami. He's been worth 1.9 bWAR since being traded to San Diego, and he has a .299 batting average entering the weekend. His 101 OPS+ in San Diego makes him a league average bat, compared to his 123 OPS+ in Miami and 119 OPS+ in Minnesota.

Considering his defensive limitations and his average bat, it feels like Arraez is not the best fit to return to the Padres. He will likely land a deal somewhere, but it does not have to be with the Padres.

2. Dylan Cease

Cease has not looked right all season. His 4.71 ERA is the worst since his rookie season, as his 91 ERA+. Cease has had a down year before, in 2023, but overcame it and returned to form in 2024. After a second down year, however, it's hard to see the Padres being willing to shell out any kind of big money to the veteran starter.

It's best to let Cease walk. Nick Pivetta has shown he is capable of being the teams' ace, and Cease is too expensive to bring back as a potential No. 2.

3. Ryan O'Hearn

O'Hearn was one of the Padres' major additions to their lineup at the trade deadline. The All-Star is unfortunately limited to DH, first-base, and the corners of the outfield. He's not adding much value on defense, which is why his 2.0 bWAR feels low relative to his offensive production (124 OPS+).

O'Hearn's bat will make him expensive, but San Diego should stay away. The 32-year-old was a below-replacement-level player for four straight years in Kansas City before his breakout in Baltimore, but as he gets older, he could quickly lose his value. The Padres should let O'Hearn walk in free agency.