USA Today Sports
Here is a look at options for the San Diego Padres as they seek young controllable arms to fill out the rotation in the coming seasons.Â
The San Diego Padres need starting pitching.
Well, need may be a bit strong after the signings of Walker Buehler, German Marquez, and Griffin Canning this week.
Even after the recent additions, the Padres do require depth. Joe Musgrove and Michael King are coming off arm injuries. Musgrove will be on an innings restriction of some sort after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Padres will not want to push him.
Nick Pivetta and Michael King both have player options after the 2026 season. Each pitcher could conceivably leave after the season. Joe Musgrove is also a free agent after the 2027 season. The Padres will need arms for the long haul. Their top three pitchers will be gone after the 2027 season, maybe even earlier.
In free agency, there are pitching options for long-term deals. However, the Padres seem to be focused on obtaining controllable arms at a discount rate. Acquiring pitchers of this ilk is not easy, though, as most teams value young pitchers who are performing for their ultimate payday. Pitchers like this are valuable. They are rarely traded.
If the Padres desire young arms who are already established in the league and under control, they will need to pay the price.
Most believe the farm system is bare, but that cannot be further from the truth. The Padres seemingly always pull prospects out of the woodwork each season. The 2026 season will be no different, as there are several players poised to emerge this coming year. With that being said, the Padres have no fear when it comes to trading within their top 30 prospects.
Kruz Schoolcraft and Kash Mayfield are two valuable young arms. The team also possesses several young relievers in the farm system. That could make players like Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada, and company expendable in the right deal. Relief pitching is the Padres’ strength, and they could certainly deal from it.
The Padres possess trade chips. There is no debating that.
In the last week, they have strengthened the bench. They also added a few arms who could be productive in 2026. A.J. Preller is not one to shy away from trades. We’ve established that the Padres have trade chips, but who exactly would they be interested in as far as starting arms?
Let’s take a look at some names.
Coincidentally, these men are all left-handed pitchers. That makes sense for San Diego, as the staff consists of pretty much all right-handed pitchers. JP Sears, Kyle Hart, German Marquez, Griffin Canning, Walker Buehler, and Marco Gonzalez may factor to some degree in 2026. But the top 3 (Joe Musgrove, Michael King, and Nick Pivetta) are righties.
Â
Prepare yourself to pay the price
The Reds’ staff is in good shape as Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, and Chase Burns make up the staff, along with Lodolo. The team also has Chase Petty, Jose Franco, and Rhett Lowder in the minors and ready for major league service time. They would not be crippled by the loss of Nick Lodolo. They could certainly move a pitcher, and the southpaw makes some sense. Perhaps the Padres get frisky and offer a trade package for Greene, making a huge impact in 2026. You just never know with A.J. Preller at the helm.
Cincinnati is built to win now, so a prospect hoard probably wouldn’t entice them. Jake Cronenworth makes some sense for the Reds, but that would leave the Padres without a second baseman with weeks to go before the start of the season. They would save money and could address the issue. However, at this point, Cronenworth seems established with the team. He is the backup shortstop after all. A relief pitcher makes sense as the Reds always need bullpen help. Lodolo is under control for two years, so the price tag will not be cheap. These two teams match in a trade, so there is some smoke here.
Â
USA Today Sports
Not that Logan Allen. This one pitches for the Guardians and, like the former draft pick from the Padres, is a left-handed starter. Cleveland may be hesitant to deal the southpaw, but the Padres and Guardians matched in the past, and Cleveland seems to value the farm system in San Diego. The Guardians have Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, and Slade Cecconi at the top of the staff. Former Friar Joey Cantillo is also expected to play a major role. Lefty Parker Messick is ready for major league service time, and he could step in for Allen. There is depth with this staff. They also have three left-handed pitchers.
Being that Allen is expected to contribute in 2026, the Guardians would be bullish on trading him. The Padres may need to get creative. Perhaps the Guardians covet a Matt Waldron-type pitcher, and the Padres can package them with a prospect to get a deal done. Waldron does not have options left. Cleveland lost two relief pitchers last year, including their closer Emmanuel Clase, to a gambling scandal. They may be on the lookout for relief help, and the Padres could quench their thirst for dominance late in the game. This makes some sense.
Â
The Royals are stockpiled in pitching thanks to a trade with the Padres last July for Freddy Fermin. Kansas City added Stephen Kolek and Ryan Bergert in the trade, and both pitched well. At the moment, each pitcher is on the outside looking in as the KC staff consists of Cole Ragans, Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Kris Bubic, and lefty Noah Cameron. There is room for the Royals to move a starter for help in other areas on the roster. Kansas City is built to win now.
These two sides have worked trades in the past. There is familiarity in the franchises. Cameron pitched really well last season (including against the Padres at Petco Park) and could be acquired from K.C., as they cannot possibly utilize all the arms they have in the rotation. Cameron is not a free agent until 2032. The Padres would need to be convinced he is capable of pitching well consistently. Cole Ragans would be a huge upgrade for the Padres, but would K.C. entertain the idea of trading him? Again, Preller leaves no stone unturned. If the ace-like pitcher is made available, the Padres will surely kick the tires.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
Continue Reading