Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
With the lineup rounded out, it’s now time to shift the focus to the starting rotation before Spring Training. The Padres were able to re-sign Michael King, but still lack depth at the position. However, these three free agents could help out the rotation at a minimal price.
As the calendar year flips, the pressure starts to intensify for front offices hoping to put a great product out on the field. For the San Diego Padres, that pressure no longer surrounds their lineup. While there’s room for a depth signing or two, the Padres effectively handled their void on the left side of the infield by signing Korean infielder Sung-Mun Song to a four-year deal.
As the lineup is coming together, the starting rotation still needs some help. Despite looking viable on paper, the Padres’ rotation features tons of risk, with injuries and potential regressions clouding the outlook.
As of now, the Opening Day rotation would look like this:
SP1: Michael King
SP2: Nick Pivetta
SP3: Joe Musgrove
SP4: Randy Vasquez
SP5: JP Sears
The top three of King, Pivetta, and Musgrove are all but locked in. However, the fourth and fifth starter slots could absolutely use an upgrade or two. Randy Vasquez has started just under 50 games for the Padres in the past two years, but his underlying data doesn’t suggest that he’s as reliable as many would think.
As for JP Sears, he simply lacks the upside to be anything more than a poor fifth starter in the MLB. He can eat up innings, but he’s best utilized as a depth option to fill in for starters forced to miss time due to injury.
The Padres could really benefit from picking up a starter on the free agent market before the MLB season. Fortunately for San Diego, the market for mid-to-back-end starters has developed relatively slowly, and plenty of arms are still available. Here are three of those arms that would bring the best value to San Diego.
Credit: Getty Images
Tyler Mahle
Mahle is one of the more talented arms on the market, but still profiles as a mid-range starter due to his lack of track record. Mahle is 31, but coming off the most efficient season of his career to date. He only threw 86.2 innings, but held down a 2.18 ERA while going 6-4 across 16 starts.
Mahle’s calling card is a four-seam fastball, rich in spin, that he throws 50% of the time. The heater only sits around 92 MPH, but is a very productive pitch due to strong riding and tailing action. The offering stumped hitters in 2o25, surrendering just a .211 BA.
Secondarily, Mahle goes to a splitter to keep hitters guessing. The versatile split-finger allowed just an 84.7 MPH average exit velocity in 2o25, while holding opponents under .200. The whiff rates weren’t anything special, but Mahle induced plenty of weak contact to roll through outings productively.
Overall, Mahle’s expected stats suggest that his shortened 2025 campaign was rather fluky. However, limiting hard contact was clearly his blueprint to success, and he executed well on it. If he’s healthy, he can be counted on to produce in the 3-ERA range in what will be his 10th MLB season this upcoming year.
If the Padres can sign Mahle, he’d slot in quickly as the Padres’ fourth starter, as he’s essentially a more reliable Randy Vasquez in theory. The move would push JP Sears out of the Opening Day rotation and give the Padres starting unit an outside chance at posting a sub-4 ERA across the board.
Tyler Mahle’s 2Ks in the 5th. pic.twitter.com/T2oxK2FIhA
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 1, 2025
Bringing back an old friend in Nick Martinez would be risky, but could pay dividends if he puts everything together. Martinez split time between 19 starts and 91 appearances out of the bullpen from 2022 to 2023 for the Padres. In both seasons, he threw over 100 innings and posted an ERA under 3.5. His efforts earned him a two-year, $26 million deal with the Cincinnati Reds, an opportunity that he took great advantage of.
Martinez thrived in his first year with Cincinnati, posting a 3.10 ERA and stifling 1.02 WHIP over 142.1 innings. His changeup played phenomenally well, allowing an even 80 MPH average exit velocity and compiling a 41.6 percent whiff rate. He kept both righties and lefties in check, which drove him to consistent success throughout the year.
2025 was a step back for Martinez, as he saw the whiff rate on his changeup drop 12%. His ERA fell back to 4.45, but his strengths remained intact. He limited hard contact, walks, and thus his expected stats indicated a rather unlucky season. All six of his pitches retained their velocity and movement, which points to a potential return to success in 2026.
The Padres could cash in on both the buy-low opportunity and Martinez’s former ties to the coaching staff. Martinez played with new Padres manager Craig Stammen for a part of 2022, and is familiar with pitching coach Ruben Niebla. If anyone could get a resurgence out of Martinez, it’s Niebla and the Padres.
Nick Martinez
Pre All-Star Break:
72 IP
3.88 ERA
1.13 WHIP
56 K
Post All-Star Break:
70.1 IP
2.30 ERA
0.92 WHIP
60 Kpic.twitter.com/4mSif5YYW3
— Kirk Snyder (@dynastyinfo411) October 1, 2024
Credit: AP Photo
Chris Bassitt
Giving a meaningful contract to a 36-year-old starter doesn’t sound appealing to most, but Chris Bassitt is plenty deserving. Over 11 seasons, Bassitt has tossed nearly 1,300 innings and held an impressive 3.64 ERA. If you’re picking him up nowadays, you’re probably expecting closer to a four-ERA season. However, his ability to remain on the field should still interest every front office looking to add a starter.
Bassitt is at his best when he’s locating well, avoiding walks, and mowing through hitters via the ground ball. He isn’t overpowering, although that’s never been the prototype. Bassitt has consistently posted a great average exit velocity, and 2025 was no different. Seven of his eight pitch types limited hitters to less than a 90 MPH average exit velocity.
While Bassitt is a solid producer, one key stat defines his value, and why he’s intriguing as a free agent. Across 11 MLB seasons, Bassitt has only hit the injured list five times, four of which were trips to the 15-day IL. Three of those trips include a leg contusion, back inflammation, and a facial fracture, further solidifying his track record of arm health. Bassitt is as much of a lock to make every one of his starts as any other pitcher in the league.
The Padres have made the most out of newly acquired veteran pitchers in recent years. Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, and Nick Pivetta all qualify as successful veteran projects for the Padres. Chris Bassitt could easily be the next name to join that group if the Padres can bring in the right-hander this offseason. Having a veteran presence with value still left in the tank at the back-end of a rotation could really push the needle for the 2026 Padres.
Of all qualified pitches in baseball last year, RHP Chris Bassitt’s CB had the lowest Hard-Hit% at just 18%. The veteran shows an insane 8 pitch mix to keep hitters off balance with his big slow CB at just 71 MPH being a tough pitch to square up. The 36 y/o is still a free agent pic.twitter.com/3fq4G4rQgh
— Jackson Scudder (@jscud23) December 29, 2025
A 17-year-old San Diego native, Willy Warren is a baseball fan at heart who created High Leverage Baseball, a public baseball media account covering around-the-league statistical analysis and breakdowns on X. Willy is set to attend the Cronkite School of Journalism in the fall of 2026 at Arizona State University, where he’ll pursue a major in sports journalism.
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