At this point in the MLB offseason, the free-agent landscape looks very different than it did just a few months ago. Most of the premier position players have already found new homes, leaving teams with far fewer obvious difference-makers to pursue.
As a result, front offices that still want to improve their rosters are often forced to get creative, targeting players whose market value has dipped and betting on a rebound or a useful contribution in a more limited role.
These late-stage signings are less about star power and more about depth, flexibility, and upside. On Wednesday, the San Diego Padres made exactly that kind of move, taking a low-risk gamble on a former New York Yankees infielder and outfielder in hopes of strengthening their roster ahead of Spring Training.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Padres reached an agreement with Miguel Andujar, who finished the 2025 season with the Cincinnati Reds, a team that ultimately earned a postseason berth. Shortly after Heyman’s report, ESPN’s Jeff Passan provided additional clarity on the deal, noting that Andujar signed a one-year contract worth $4 million.
For a 30-year-old player who has experienced both significant early success and prolonged inconsistency, the agreement represents a fresh opportunity to carve out a meaningful role on a new club without a long-term commitment from either side.
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One of Andujar’s most appealing traits at this stage of his career is his positional versatility. While he has primarily been known as a corner infielder, his defensive résumé has expanded over time. During the most recent season, Andujar logged the majority of his innings at third base, a position he has played extensively throughout his professional career.
However, he also saw limited action in left field, first base, and right field. That kind of flexibility is especially valuable for a Padres team that has dealt with roster turnover and is still evaluating how its pieces will fit together. A player who can move around the diamond gives the coaching staff more options and provides insurance against injuries or underperformance elsewhere on the roster.
Still, Andujar’s name carries a very different weight now than it did earlier in his career. He is far removed from the breakout campaign that once made him one of the most exciting young players in baseball. Back in 2018, Andujar burst onto the scene with the Yankees, smashing 27 home runs and producing 3.9 wins above replacement according to FanGraphs.
That season, he looked every bit like a cornerstone player, someone New York could build around for years. His combination of power and run production made him a fixture in the middle of the lineup, and many observers believed he was on the verge of stardom.
However, that standout year ultimately proved to be more of an outlier than a sign of sustained excellence. Injuries, defensive limitations, and inconsistent offensive production derailed Andujar’s trajectory in the seasons that followed.
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Since 2018, he has struggled to recapture that same level of performance, bouncing between teams and roles while trying to reestablish himself as a reliable major leaguer. In fact, only two seasons in his career have resulted in more than 1.0 fWAR. The first, of course, was his breakout 2018 campaign. The second came much later, in 2025, when he posted a combined 1.1 fWAR while splitting time between the Reds and the Oakland Athletics.
That context helps explain why Andujar was still available this late in free agency and why his contract with San Diego came in at a relatively modest price. Teams are no longer paying for what he once was, but rather for what he might still be capable of providing in the right situation.
For the Padres, the risk is minimal: a one-year deal does not tie up long-term payroll, and if Andujar fails to produce, the club can move on without significant consequences. On the flip side, if he finds his groove and contributes offensively while offering defensive flexibility, the signing could prove to be a savvy piece of business.
The timing of the move is also notable given the Padres’ offseason activity. San Diego has undergone several roster changes, creating both uncertainty and opportunity within the organization. Depending on how the rest of the offseason unfolds, and whether the front office makes additional trades, Andujar could find himself with a clearer path to playing time than many might expect. If no major acquisitions are made at the positions he can cover, he may be in line for a steady role, either as a starter or as a frequently used utility option.
In that sense, this signing feels as much about depth and contingency planning as it does about upside. The Padres are not counting on Andujar to be a centerpiece of their lineup, but they are giving themselves another option as they head into camp.
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Spring Training will provide Andujar with a chance to prove that he still has something left to offer, and it will allow the coaching staff to evaluate where he fits best defensively and offensively. For a team with postseason aspirations, having experienced players who can step in and contribute when needed is often the difference between surviving a long season and falling short.
Ultimately, Miguel Andujar’s deal with the Padres is emblematic of this phase of free agency. The splashy signings are mostly over, replaced by calculated bets on players whose careers have taken unexpected turns.
For Andujar, it is another opportunity to revive his value and show that his early success was not a fluke. For San Diego, it is a low-cost move that could pay dividends if circumstances break the right way. Whether it turns into a meaningful contribution or simply a footnote in the season will depend on how Andujar performs once games start to matter again.
Assessing Padres’ depth chart heading into 2026 season
With Luis Arraez now departing for the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres are left with a noticeable hole at first base, one that could shape their roster decisions heading into the regular season. Early projections and internal depth charts suggest that Gavin Sheets is the frontrunner to absorb most of the playing time at the position. Still, the situation is far from settled, and a strong showing in Spring Training could open the door for Andujar to push his way into a larger role.
At the moment, Sheets appears to have the inside track largely because of positional fit and familiarity. He profiles naturally as a first baseman and offers the kind of left-handed power the Padres could use to balance their lineup.
However, Spring Training has a way of reshuffling expectations, and if Andujar performs well enough, the Padres may be forced to reconsider how they deploy their pieces. While Andujar is not viewed as the favorite to claim the everyday first base job, a hot spring could at least put him firmly in the conversation.
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That said, Andujar’s most likely path to regular at-bats seems to be at designated hitter. Entering camp, he appears positioned to open the season as the Padres’ primary DH, a role that would allow him to focus on his offensive contributions without the added pressure of defensive responsibilities. For a player still trying to reestablish himself as a reliable major league bat, that could be an ideal scenario. The DH spot would give Andujar a clearer lane to prove his value while limiting potential weaknesses elsewhere on the field.
From the Padres’ perspective, roster construction must be guided by their postseason aspirations. This is a team that expects to contend, not merely compete, and that reality influences how much responsibility they can reasonably place on players with uncertain track records.
While Andujar has shown flashes of offensive upside in the past, he has yet to demonstrate the kind of consistent production that typically warrants an everyday role on a playoff-caliber club. Betting on him as a full-time first baseman carries more risk than the Padres may be willing to accept.
Instead, Andujar may be better suited as a depth piece—someone who can step into the lineup when needed, provide matchup-based offense, and offer flexibility across multiple roles.
In that capacity, he could still play an important part without being relied upon as a cornerstone. For a team navigating a long season with inevitable injuries and slumps, having a capable bat available off the bench or in a semi-regular role can be just as valuable as locking in an everyday starter.
The competition between Sheets and Andujar also underscores a broader theme for the Padres this spring: opportunity will be earned, not handed out. Sheets may begin camp with the advantage, but he will need to validate that trust with steady performance.
Likewise, Andujar’s fate is not sealed. If he shows improved plate discipline, consistent contact, and situational hitting during Spring Training, the Padres could find creative ways to get his bat into the lineup more often, even if that does not come in the form of an everyday first base assignment.
Ultimately, the Padres’ decisions will come down to balancing upside with reliability. Sheets offers a more traditional first base profile, while Andujar brings versatility and offensive potential but with greater uncertainty. For a team with October firmly in its sights, minimizing risk is crucial. That reality likely keeps Andujar in a complementary role to start the season, with the DH spot serving as his primary home.
Still, baseball seasons have a way of evolving. What looks like a settled situation in February can change dramatically by May or June. If Andujar capitalizes on his opportunities and proves he can produce consistently against major league pitching, the Padres may grow more comfortable expanding his role. Until then, viewing him as a depth option rather than an everyday fixture appears to be the more prudent approach for a club determined to remain in the playoff hunt.
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