The San Diego Padres have opened the offseason with several jaw-dropping announcements. First, Mike Shildt abruptly retired as manager, then Craig Stammen is hired as his replacement. The biggest bombshell
news came a few days later, as the Siedler family decided to hire a firm to determine their financial market options, including the possibility of selling the franchise.
Despite all the distractions, Padres President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller still has intentions to improve the roster. However, it is improbable that he will add a big-money contract before a possible sale.
Adding payroll is not in the cards
In professional sports, upper management rarely agrees to adding payroll that diminishes the franchise’s market value. In the Friars case, they will allow Preller to address improving the starting rotation with easy fixes.
He will look to add a starting pitcher who is considered an “inning-eater” on a short-term deal. A small, practical signing keeps the Padres competitive on the field without creating future financial uncertainty for potential buyers.
Padres top offseason priority: Starting pitching
A free-agent addition of this nature will not get the Friar Faithful jumping for joy, but the starting rotation is in shambles. Michael King and Dylan Cease are free agents, with no guarantee that one or both are returning to San Diego. Yu Darvish is out for the 2026 campaign after undergoing UCL surgery at the end of October.
Joe Musgrove is expected to begin the season in the rotation after recovering from Tommy John surgery last summer. Questions will arise about how he will contribute in 2026. There is no evidence that Musgrove will be on an innings limit. However, most starters require time to rebuild their arm strength post-TJ surgery.
It should not surprise anyone if Stammen skips over Musgrove at certain points of next season to keep his arm healthy all season.
Randy Vasquez could become a full-time starter
The Padres have other internal starting pitching candidates that could join Nick Pivetta and Musgrove in the rotation. Some of the names include Randy Vasquez, JP Sears, Kyle Hart, and Matt Waldron.
Keep an eye on Vasquez, who made 26 starts last season. He came into his own on the mound, as the right-hander recorded a 6-7 record with a 3.84 ERA. Vasquez threw a career-high 133.2 innings, and the Friars expect him to become a full-time starter in the 2026 rotation.
The only logical major free-agent signing would be King, who Preller values highly and wants him to be a rotation mainstay for more than one season. If a deal cannot be reached, this free agent class has plenty of talent that could garner quality starting pitching options for the Friars.
No word on whether the Seidler family has approved an increase in the 2026 salary limit. Last season, the Friars’ payroll was $225 million, which landed them eighth on the MLB’s team salary list. But with free agency, opt-outs, and non-tenders, the Padres have only $176 million in guaranteed contracts for this upcoming campaign.
Preller is rolling the dice on adding one veteran starter who has some upside left on the mound.
