Almost every MLB team spends a minute shopping in the bargain aisle of free agency each offseason. A few even make some purchases, knowing their low-cost bet on swing changes, new pitches or some other definition of "untapped potential" doesn't always work out.
Last year, the bargain aisle yielded even more than the Padres bargained for. Ty France (4.5 bWAR), Samad Taylor (0.8) and Walker Buehler (0.9) were worth six wins combined. Sung-Mun Song, Kyle Hart, Triston McKenzie, Riley Pint and Griffin Canning were of little help — but at least they cost relatively little.
The Padres might not know how much they can spend at the top end of free agency until a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is in place. That won't be resolved before Dec. 1, when the current CBA expires. At the bottom end, however, some intriguing players might pique the Padres' interest.
Here are three names to watch:
1. Nathaniel Lowe, 1B, Cleveland Guardians
Lowe makes sense as a replacement for France, if one is needed. He's the only player on this list still active in the postseason, with the Guardians trying to win the American League Championship Series.
Lowe slashed .252/.317/.444 with 17 home runs in 126 regular season games for Cleveland and the Cincinnati Reds in the regular season.
At 31, Lowe's Silver Slugger Award-winning season of 2022 is firmly in the past. That said, he possesses a solid career .344 on-base percentage and has a ring already — he won a World Series with the Texas Rangers in 2023. That was already priced into his 2026 salary ($1.75 million), and the Padres can likely afford to give him a small raise if he insists.
2. Tony Gonsolin, RHP, Kansas City Royals
Gonsolin made it back from Tommy John surgery to pitch 2.2 innings for the Royals at the end of the 2026 season. His only big league appearance didn't go well — he allowed five runs, all earned — but the former All-Star right-hander answered the obvious question about his health.
He'll become a free agent if the Royals decline his $2.5 million option for next year. If they do, the Padres should pounce.
Before injuries derailed his career, Gonsolin made 20 starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023. The year prior, he pitched 130.1 innings, going 16-1 with a 2.14 ERA.
At 32, Gonsolin is young enough to convince some team that his arm still has value. If he isn't a full-time starter next year, Gonsolin might bring value as a long reliever.
3. Patrick Sandoval, LHP, Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox took a gamble on Sandoval post-TJ surgery, giving him a two-year, $18.5 million contract in December 2024 knowing he would still be rehabbing in 2025. Sandoval went 1-7 with a 5.12 ERA in 15 games (13 starts) in his only season in Boston in 2026.
Those numbers won't stir demand for the 30-year-old left-hander, but there's reason to hope for better things for him in 2027 — either as a starter or a reliever.
Sandoval had three plus pitches in 2026 (a sinker, slider and changeup) by Stuff+, but only commanded his changeup with fluency. That's not unusual for a pitcher in his first year back post-surgery.
With a full, "normal" offseason, there's reason to believe Sandoval could be a serviceable back-end starter in 2027. If three pitches aren't enough to start in the competitive National League West, he could take over the Adrian Morejon role in the bullpen.
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