Every Padres player who could hit free agency after the 2026 season

The Padres have 17 players with a path to free agency this winter and enough questions to reach nearly every part of the 2027 roster. The list includes starting pitchers, late-inning relievers, their starting first baseman and several veteran role players.

Nine players will become unrestricted free agents when the season ends. The other eight are tied to an option or opt-out that must be resolved first. Some decisions belong to the player, some belong to the Padres and mutual options require both sides to agree. That distinction keeps us from presenting all 17 as guaranteed departures while still showing the size of the job waiting for San Diego. 

Padres headed for unrestricted free agency

• Robbie Ray
• Ramón Laureano
• Walker Buehler
• Ty France
• Austin Hays
• Luis Rengifo
• Jason Adam
• Casey Mize
• Adrian Morejon

Padres with an option or opt-out decision

• Michael King — can opt out with two years and $58 million remaining.
• Yuki Matsui — can opt out; otherwise signed through 2028.
• Wandy Peralta — holds a $4.45 million player option for 2027.
• Nick Pivetta — Padres hold a $14 million club option.
• Miguel Andujar — has a mutual option for 2027.
• Lucas Giolito — has a mutual option for 2027.
• Griffin Canning — has a mutual option for 2027.
• Kyle Hart — Padres hold a club option for 2027.

The option group will get most of the attention because King could become one of the winter’s best available starters. The Padres also face meaningful decisions involving Pivetta and their left-handed bullpen depth.

Among the unrestricted group, who should the Friars actually try to keep?

Which unrestricted Padres free agents should return?

• Adrian Morejon: This is a no brainer and should be the top priority. Entering Sept. 26, Morejon recorded a 2.86 ERA with 105 strikeouts over 85 innings and developed into one of San Diego’s most important relievers. Quality left-handers in their 20s get paid, and the Padres should be the team paying him.
• Ty France: France turned a $1.35 million deal into a .294/.360/.505 season with 21 home runs. The bargain portion of this reunion is done. A short multiyear contract would keep first base settled without paying for they’d hope to be a repeat performance.
• Jason Adam: His age and injury history make a long contract dangerous, but a short reunion could still work here.
• Austin Hays: Keep him if the price reflects a platoon outfielder rather than an everyday starter. Hays played well after arriving in August, but 25 games is no guarantee. They’ll likely let him test free agency first. 

That leaves Ray, Laureano, Buehler, Mize and Rengifo as the clearest players to let walk. Buehler supplied needed innings, but San Diego requires more upside from its rotation. Ray and Mize struggled badly after arriving, while Laureano’s injury and offensive production fell too far to justify another notable commitment. Rengifo played well during his brief Padres stint, but his torn ACL clouds his availability and potential role for 2027.

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