Padres’ latest free-agent departures put pressure on A.J. Preller to deliver real upgrades

The Padres have plenty of room to make changes now. Miguel Andújar, Lucas Giolito and Griffin Canning are headed to free agency after their mutual options were declined. Andújar turned down his side; San Diego declined its side on the two pitchers. Those decisions leave openings for Preller to reshape the roster.

After their trip to the postseason, they should feel the need to find some upgrades this offseason. That’s a reasonable standard for a team built around stars on long-term deals. The Padres have players worth building an ambitious offseason around. Clearing roster spots gets the paperwork started. The credit comes when the replacements make San Diego better.

Padres need rotation additions they can actually plan around

Giolito and Canning reaching free agency puts a straightforward assignment in front of Preller that was already there. The Padres need to strengthen the starting pitching.

We need to see a rotation built with a realistic workload in mind. If the Padres move on from Canning and Giolito, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt could be names that get thrown into the conversation. Gausman has delivered at least 174 2/3 innings in six consecutive seasons. Bassitt brings an established history of taking a regular turn. Both deserve a serious look from a team that needs to stop turning its bullpen into an emergency service.

Freddy Peralta offers a more ambitious target. Pursuing him would put some substance behind the promise of upgrading this rotation. These are options for Preller to explore, with different prices and risks, and the Padres should be comparing those choices before settling for another project. They need starters who can take the ball, handle a meaningful workload and stay healthy.

Miguel Andújar’s departure gives the Padres a chance to clarify the lineup

The position-player side deserves the same discipline. Andújar’s departure creates an opportunity to examine how the Padres distribute at-bats across left field, first base, DH and the bench. Each addition should answer a specific question about the lineup.

Who deserves an everyday job? Where does Gavin Sheets fit? Will they be aggressive in pursuit of Ty France?

A reasonable contract can still produce an awkward roster fit. When several players need the same at-bats, somebody gets squeezed into irregular work or a defensive assignment that weakens the team elsewhere.

Preller can still find a bargain. Those deals become far more valuable when the roster already has a dependable structure. An inexpensive signing can strengthen the bench or supply useful insurance without carrying responsibility for fixing a major weakness.

The standard this winter should be easy better starting options, clearer everyday roles and enough depth to withstand an ordinary baseball season. Andújar, Giolito and Canning leaving gives the Padres space to pursue that. Preller now has to turn the openings into improvements we can point to when the season starts.

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