One All-Star reliever (Tanner Scott) has departed as a free agent and another (Robert Suarez) can opt out after this season.

No problem.

The Padres claimed an up-and-coming back-end piece on waivers last year (Jeremiah Estrada) and have a handful of intriguing bullpen arms rising through the ranks, including a 6-foot-8 giant who wowed while making major league debut in 2024.

1   |   RHP Sean Reynolds

• Opening day age: 26
• How acquired: Via trade with the Miami Marlins in August 2023
• Height / Weight: 6-foot-8 / 250 pounds
• Bats / Throws: Left / Right
• 2024 team(s): El Paso (AAA)
• 2024 stats: 2-0, 6.17 ERA, 0 saves, 4 holds, 67 strikeouts, 33 walks, 1.69 WHIP, .276 opponent average, 54 innings (39 games, 3 starts)
• Need to know: As anyone familiar with the Padres’ system knows, throw out the numbers from the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Reynolds, for instance, had a 13.50 ERA in 16 innings with Triple-A El Paso after the trade from the Marlins (Ryan Weathers) and a 6.17 ERA in 54 innings this season. But he made his MLB debut anyway, striking out 21 batters against five walks while posting an 0.82 ERA over 11 innings. Reynolds might have been in consideration for a spot in the postseason bullpen had he not tweaked his knee late in the season. He returned in time to make one last appearance for El Paso and was even on the taxi squad in the NLDS, but the Padres did not add him to the roster. A converted outfielder/first baseman, Reynolds flirts with triple digits and gets plus extension from his giant frame. His slider sits 88 mph. His changeup is a bit firmer than that and Reynolds threw a handful of low-80s sweepers while in the majors last year. Reynolds should compete for a bullpen job this spring.

2   |   RHP Bradgley Rodriguez

• Opening day age: 21
• How acquired: Signed as an international amateur in January 2021 (Venezuela)
• Height / Weight: 6-foot-1 / 160 pounds
• Bats / Throws: Right / Right
• 2024 team(s): Lake Elsinore (A), Fort Wayne (A+), San Antonio (AA)
• 2024 stats: 2-1, 2.64 ERA, 7 saves, 3 holds, 75 strikeouts, 31 walks, 1.14 WHIP, .180 opponent average, 61⅓ innings (45 games)
• Need to know: He signed for $370,000 in 2021, was shaky to start his career in the Dominican Summer League (6.20 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 24⅔ IP) and then was shelved for two years with elbow trouble. Rodriguez returned to the mound this year with a fastball that touched triple digits and high-80s offerings in a change-up and slider. It’s a package that allowed Rodriguez to fetch swinging strikes at one of the better rates in the minors (28.3 percent) and it overwhelmed A-ball hitters as he struck out nine of the 19 batters he faced in Lake Elsinore (1.69 ERA) and 45 batters in 41 ⅔ innings at Fort Wayne (2.59 ERA). His command wavered in 14⅓ innings (3.14 ERA) at Double-A San Antonio as he walked seven batters while still allowing just a .154 opponent average. Rodriguez will pitch all of 2025 as a 21-year-old, so he’s a good bet to start the season back in San Antonio and perhaps push for a big-league call-up later in the year.

3   |   LHP Omar Cruz

• Opening day age: 26
• How acquired: Rule 5 draft in December 2023 (Pittsburgh Pirates)
• Height / Weight: 6-foot / 210 pounds
• Bats / Throws: Left / Left
• 2024 team(s): San Antonio (AA), El Paso (AAA)
• 2024 stats: 6-2, 3.96 ERA, 2 saves, 3 holds, 118 strikeouts, 36 walks, 1.22 WHIP, .216 opponent average, 86⅓ innings (34 games, 7 starts)
• Need to know: This is actually Cruz’s second stint with the Padres, as the organization originally purchased his rights for $100,000 from Mexico City and included him in the Joe Musgrove trade to Pittsburgh before the 2021 season. Cruz had pitched back-to-back seasons at Double-A Altoona, lowering his ERA from 5.03 to 3.94 in 2023 when the Padres snagged him in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft. Cruz struck out 70 batters in 47⅔ innings at Double-A San Antonio (3.59 ERA) and 48 in 38⅔ innings at Triple-A El Paso (4.42 ERA) in convincing the Padres to add him to the 40-man roster last month. The big selling point is a low-80s changeup that he throws off a 91-94 mph fastball, both of which helped him post a 28.5 percent swinging strike rate. Commanding two breaking balls — or at least one of them — would go a long way toward leaving a good impression on the coaching staff in spring training.

4   |   RHP Francis Pena

• Opening day age: 24
• How acquired: Signed as an international amateur in January 2022 (Dominican Repubic)
• Height / Weight: 6-foot-1 / 170 pounds
• Bats / Throws: Right / Right
• 2024 team(s): Fort Wayne (A+), San Antonio (AA), El Paso (AAA)
• 2024 stats: 6-4, 2.43 ERA, 3 saves, 6 holds, 64 strikeouts, 18 walks, 1.02 WHIP, .199 opponent average, 63 innings (45 games)
• Need to know: Consider Pena a late riser, as he signed $10,000 a few days before his 21st birthday when the most-prized international amateurs sign at 16. He’s also making up for lost time in a hurry, pitching at three levels each of the last two seasons to reach the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 2024. Needless to say, the results in that hitter friendly circuit (5.17 ERA, 15⅔ IP) didn’t come close to matching his success in San Antonio (2.05 ERA, 26⅓ IP) or Fort Wayne (0.86 ERA, 21 IP). Look for Pena to get a look in spring training. He can touch 99 mph out of a three-quarters delivery and pairs that heat with a cutter.

5   |   RHP Tyson Neighbors

• Opening day age: 22
• How acquired: 4th round in 2024 (Kansas State)
• Height / Weight: 6-foot-2 / 220 pounds
• Bats / Throws: Right / Right
• 2024 team(s): Lake Elsinore (A)
• 2024 stats: 0-0, 3.86 ERA, 0 saves, 2 holds, 9 strikeouts, 4 walks, 1.93 WHIP, .263 opponent average, 4⅔ IP (4 games)
• Need to know: Neighbors struck out 86 over 48⅔ innings (1.85 ERA) as a sophomore only to have a Grade II oblique strain slow him to start 2024. The ERA swelled to 3.96 this year, but the stuff led the Padres to sign him for $600,000 as the best relief prospect in the class, according to MLB.com’s pre-draft rankings. The fastball sits 93-95 mph and tops out at 99 mph with cut. He also throws a mid-80s slider and an upper 80s cutter out of an athletic delivery. Neighbors debuted with the Storm in time to appear in three postseason games, recording a save in one of them. He should move quickly if his control is in check.

Others to know: RHP Alek Jacob (AAA), RHP Ethan Routzahn (AAA), RHP Cole Paplham (AA), RHP Manuel Castro (AA), RHP David Morgan (AA), RHP Raul Brito (AA), LHP Jason Blanchard (AA), LHP Ryan Och (AA).