ESPN's bold predictions hints at Preller's anxious final swing

No one is giving up on AJ Preller and his ability to surprise you. Year after year, the Padres President of Baseball Operations makes an awe-striking move that splits the fandom in half. Some love him and hail his unpredictable antics. Others would rather he proceeded with caution when building a postseason contender.

Either way you slice it, Preller is always good for brewing a conversation in the Padres' community. Besides signing Michael King to a reunion and acquiring Sung-Mun Song, not much else has been to get the Friars in a position to contend with the Dodgers in the NL West. ESPN unveiled a list of bold predictions, and their estimation on Preller could make those unsatisfied Padres fans a little happier.

ESPN predicts Padres' AJ Preller has one more move up his sleeve ahead of Spring Training

San Diego is projected to have one of the worst starting rotations in 2026, but ESPN feels that Preller and his team are on the precipice of making the roster stronger — which could include the pitching staff. They don't get into detail, but adding a free agent starter like Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, or Zack Littell would improve the rotation, though we're not sure if the club is interested in paying any of these guys long-term.

What about in the lineup? There's always room for improvement here, especially with the loss of Ryan O'Hearn and probably Luis Arraez. There isn't much out there, but Rhys Hoskins or Nathaniel Lowe would make the lineup better. Adding either of those players does provide some shack value, too.

These are just a few options that would fall under the umbrella of ESPN's prediction that Preller is not done spending more this winter. It's obvious that the Padres need to do more before Spring Training rolls around, but no one is necessarily doubting that Preller is calling this offseason a job well done — yet.

We'll keep waiting for another move to be reported, but the clock is ticking. The free agent pool is starting to run dry, so perhaps a trade is in the cards for San Diego. Fingers crossed that something will be done, whichever direction Preller decides to pursue.