The San Diego Padres are rested and ready for the second half of the 2025 baseball season. Slowly, the starting rotation is getting healthy. The current order is Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish, Nick Pivetta, Randy Vasquez, and the fifth starter is still to be determined.
The holder of the last spot has been less than conducive to providing long-term success this season. The options are limited, and the Padres’ front office may have to look outside the organization to achieve more favorable results.
Friars need to solve starting rotation issues
The Padres’
starting rotation has been an issue all season. They’re counting on the return of two starting pitchers who have been sidelined for most of the first half.
Darvish has returned to the active roster after battling through elbow inflammation since spring training. He is 0-1 with a 6.48 ERA in two starts, but Darvish has struck out seven batters in 8.1 innings pitched. The Friars are hoping he remains injury-free for the remainder of the season. But that is a lot to ask from a pitcher who has spent time on the injured list over the last three seasons.
The Padres hope Michael King will be available to pitch by late August or early September. It may be wishful thinking to believe he will contribute in the second half. Time is running out for King as he has yet to throw in a rehab start. Any physical setback will end his opportunity to make another start in 2025.
Additionally, the Friars will have to monitor Vasquez’s innings total as the right-hander is fast approaching his career high of 98.0 innings pitched. He has evolved into an innings-eater. Vasquez has pitched past the fifth inning in nine of his 19 starts this season.
Pittsburgh Pirates SP Mitch Keller is an ideal fit
It would be smart for the Padres to target a starter at the July 31 trade deadline. Pittsburgh Pirates Mitch Keller is expected to become available, and adding him makes sense for the Friars. He provides stability this season and becomes a valuable rotation option beyond 2025.
Keller is owed $54.5 million over the next three seasons. In today’s starting pitching market, that is pretty good value for a third or fourth starter. He would be an ideal replacement for Dylan Cease, who is a free agent at season’s end.
This season with the Pirates, he has a 3.48 ERA in 20 starts with 92 strikeouts in 119.0 innings pitched. Keller is not considered a big strikeout pitcher, but he excels at limiting hard-hit contact during each outing. The right-hander has a 44.8% ground ball rate that ends potential scoring threats. Opposing hitters are batting .237 against Keller. He has been pitching deep in games, as Keller averages under six innings per start this season.
Keller will be on everyone’s radar at the deadline. The Pirates are sure to listen to every offer for his services. The Padres hope the bidding does not become too expensive to acquire Keller.
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