11 San Diego Padres players who won't be back next season

2) Padres pitcher Blake Snell will not be back in 2024

The season Blake Snell just put together is one that is very hard to even comprehend. It looked like this was going to be a subpar year for Snell, who had a 5.40 ERA in his first four starts before a switch suddenly flipped. In his final 23 starts he had a 1.20 ERA in 135 innings of work.

He was able to give the Padres consistent length while allowing three runs or fewer in each of his final 23 starts of the season. He was, without a doubt, the best pitcher in baseball in that span and is destined to win his second Cy Young award.

Of course, San Diego would love to keep the Cy Young award winner around, but he'd cost so much in free agency to the point where they simply can't afford to.

3) Padres pitcher Josh Hader will not be back in 2024

The reason Josh Hader will be departing this offseason is the exact same reason Snell is leaving. It's about the money. The Padres closer had his struggles after the team acquired him last season but was dominant in the postseason and reminded fans why the team looked to add him with an unbelievable year in 2023.

While losing Hader certainly hurts, passing on giving a reliever what will likely be a nine-figure deal isn't a bad thing. With how volatile even the best relievers can be from year to year, risking a ton of money on Josh Hader was never really wise.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today said that the Padres had "no plans" of re-signing either Snell of Hader, sealing their fates with the organization that traded a ton to get both players.