San Diego Padres rumors: Fate has been decided on Blake Snell and Josh Hader in San Diego

According to one MLB insider, the San Diego Padres have already decided to move on from two of their pitchers who will likely be among the top free agents this offseason.

In his weekly column for USA Today, MLB insider Bob Nightengale writes that the Padres "have no plans" to re-sign relief pitcher Josh Hader or starting pitcher Blake Snell this offseason. The duo is expected to fetch high price tags in free agency this offseason, and it sounds like San Diego will avoid any kind of bidding war for the pair of pitchers.

San Diego Padres rumors: Blake Snell and Josh Hader are pitching their final games in San Diego next week

If that decision comes to pass, it could well mean that the Padres are deciding against bringing back one of the leading candidates for the National League Cy Young Award in Snell. The 30-year-old southpaw currently leads all MLB pitchers with a 2.33 ERA and has allowed just one hit in his last two outings, completely shutting down the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Snell is slated to start on Monday in San Francisco as the Padres open a season-ending road trip. He could also pitch on the last day of the season in Chicago against the White Sox, but manager Bob Melvin could decide against that before that point in the campaign.

Hader, meanwhile, was acquired in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers at the 2022 MLB trade deadline and has been an integral part of the Padres bullpen ever since. In his 76 appearances with the Padres spanning 69.0 innings, Hader has a 2.61 ERA/2.63 FIP/1.232 WHIP. He also has 38 saves while striking out 103 batters.

San Diego could have a different look on the mound in 2024 if it chooses to move on from Blake Snell and Josh Hader, potentially giving A.J. Preller and the Padres front office some additional shopping to do this offseason.