SAN DIEGO — Leave it to A.J. Preller to strike first.
Thought to have priced himself out of the Padres' market, Robert Suarez celebrated his breakout season in San Diego with a five-year, $46 million pact in the first hour of free agency Thursday afternoon. The Padres were also said to be still in talks with Nick Martinez, whose opt-out ahead of Thursday's deadline was more procedural than a signal that the two sides were indeed parting ways on the heels of the right-hander's breakout in a multi-role job in 2022.
Martinez would like to start and that's certainly one need the Padres will have to address as they wade into the open market. Of course, Martinez was even more effective out of the bullpen, another box to check on Preller's to-do list as he looks to shore up both ends of the pitching staff. Just as crucial is his search for bats to plug into the 2023 lineup, an endeavor that might depend on just where Fernando Tatis Jr. returns to action.
