There are only a few weeks left in the regular season, giving the San Diego Padres a chance to get into the playoffs.

But after the year ends, the Padres brass will have some tough decisions to make regarding a few players entering free agency. One of them is left-hander Yuki Matsui, who is eligible to opt out of his current contract this offseason.

Matsui is scheduled to make $6.5 million if he stays with the Padres in 2027. But given the strong year he has put together, the left-hander may want to test free agency.

So far this year, Matsui has appeared in 44 games, posting a 1.95 ERA. His dominance out of the bullpen has been a big reason for the Padres' success, and losing him would be tough.

But insider Mark Feinsand of MLB.com believes that there is a good chance that Matsui will opt out following the conclusion of the 2026 season.

"Matsui ranks in the 97th percentile in both whiff percentage and hard-hit percentage, but he’s among the worst in the league when it comes to walk percentage," Feinsaid wrote. "You could argue that Matsui would be one of the five best lefty relievers on the market, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him opt out."

Matsui did generate some buzz around the trade deadline this year, but the Padres elected to hold on to him. However, if he were to walk in free agency, this decision could hurt San Diego.

Since joining the team before 2024, Matsui has been a consistent arm in the bullpen. But his 2026 season has been the best year to date for the 30-year-old.

The left-hander admitted to wanting a larger role earlier in the year with the Padres, which he has now earned amid injuries to other players.

“Right now, I’m taking on obviously a non-leverage multi-inning spot,” Matsui said in May. “But continuing to do well for what I’m giving, then hopefully I will move up and pitch in more important, more leverage situations.”

For now, Matsui is only worried about trying to help the Padres get into the playoffs and possibly going on a deep run. But the reality of him leaving this offseason is real, and San Diego would then need to fill the hole left in the bullpen.

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