Sneaky-good slugging All-Star could be Padres’ future second baseman

The Padres are faced with the dilemma of what they are going to do at first base if both Luis Arráez and Ryan O’Hearn depart in free agency. While it sounds complicated, there is actually an option that is quite obvious.

San Diego could move Jake Cronenworth from second base back to first, which was his primary position through the 2023–2024 season. This adjustment on the infield could open the door for A.J. Preller to make an under-the-radar signing to fill the void at second.

Gleyber Torres is coming off a “down year” by his standards, but in reality, he provided a ton of offensive firepower in 2025. The 28-year-old ranked in the top 1% for chase rate, meaning he quite literally had the league’s best plate discipline.

While he had a mediocre year in terms of slugging, it was largely due to Torres taking his walks and avoiding strikeouts at all costs. This approach at the plate provided the power bats in the lineup with more baserunners. Let's also not forget he played in Detroit, which is home to one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in the American League.

Despite his pending free agency, Torres made it clear that he would prefer to stay in Detroit but is keeping all options on the table. The Padres have around $47 million to work with in free agency, and that would keep them below the luxury tax threshold. Despite Torres saying he would like to remain in Detroit, we feel that if Preller can offer a deal that exceeds the $13.9 million market value, it could be enough to make him a Padre.

An infield that contains Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts on the left side, and Gleyber Torres and Jake Cronenworth on the right side, is absolutely ideal. It would be great to see Preller make this a reality.