Padres lose valued 2024 trade acquisition to Rangers in big free agency miss

The San Diego Padres navigated last offseason admirably, parting ways with Juan Soto and somehow getting better. They made a deal with the New York Yankees and prioritized depth over star power.

But one of their key acquisitions from the Bombers in that deal is already gone, as Kyle Higashioka just signed with the Texas Rangers on a two-year contract with a mutual option for 2027.

Padres fans were hopeful the team would retain Higgy because of the way Luis Campusano fell out of favor as the year progressed. But it appears there was a lot more interest in Higgy on the open market than the Padres might have expected.

Texas actually fortified a position of strength, as Higashioka will platoon with Jonah Heim, who was an All-Star in 2023 but took a bit of a step back this past season. The Rangers missed the playoffs due to injuries and some regression, but they're already looking to get back on track with this early signing.

As for the Pads, this is a notable loss because Higgy appeared in 84 games and hit .220 with 17 home runs (a career high), 45 RBI and a .739 OPS. He brought pop to the postseason, too, slugging three homers against the Braves and Dodgers.

Padres Free Agency: Kyle Higashioka signs with Texas Rangers

Ethan Salas remains a valued top prospect in the Padres' system, but he's still ways away from making his MLB debut. He won't factor into the Padres' 2025 plans, which has fans wondering why Campusano wasn't non-tendered in favor of re-signing Higgy, who was key to helping the pitching staff flourish down the stretch.

The California native felt like a very good bet to return, but AJ Preller will now head back to the drawing board and have another task on his to-do list during another pivotal offseason. Fans expected to lose bigger names like Tanner Scott, Jurickson Profar and Ha-Seong Kim, but Higgy departing this quickly might suggest the Padres are in a bit of trouble this offseason.

Either that, or Preller is working furiously behind the scenes to shock everybody once again. Yeah, we'll hope for that.