The San Diego Padres have a massive winter ahead of them.
After a stellar second half of the 2026 season, the Padres will look to build on that for the entire 2027 season.
At the top of the list, and arguably the one thing they must avoid, is trying to build a rotation around several low-cost reclamation projects instead of securing a legitimate frontline starter.
The Padres already saw limitations of the bargain approach in 2026. San Diego took low-risk chances on German Marquez and Griffin Canning, while also adding Walker Buehler on a minor league deal.
Those moves had upside without major commitments, but the results showed the risk.
Buehler, Marquez and Canning all had ERAs higher than 4.00. Marquez and Canning combined for just 141.2 innings and didn't factor into the team's postseason. Buehler was a solid add, but he was far from a frontline starter the Padres needed.
These three signings last winter weren't complete failures; however, they're useful when they fill out the rotation, but dangerous when the team depends on several of them to outperform expectations at the same time. That was the case this past season.
The Padres' starting pitching in the playoffs exposed the consequences of being cheap in the offseason.
The starting pitchers recorded just 15 of the team's 34.2 innings in their National League Division Series loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, not including relief appearances by Robbie Ray and Michael King.
San Diego's starters ranked 21st in MLB this season with a 4.42 ERA, compared with Milwaukee's 3.61 ERA, which ranked fifth.
The Padres had enough talent to compete with any team in the league, especially in the postseason. Still, their rotation wasn't built to match a top contender's starting pitching consistently.
San Diego needed to rely on its elite bullpen every night to cover innings, and in a long season like baseball, that could only get you so far.
King will likely be a free agent this winter, and the Padres' top priority must be to retain him. But he cannot be the entire plan.
For starters, replacing King's production would be extremely difficult. Secondly, the front office cannot assume that bringing King back solves everything.
San Diego needs quality starters regardless of King's decision this winter.
The Padres need to pursue an ace (or two) even if it costs more (which it will).
Everyone knows about the big fish that is Tarik Skubal this winter. While acquiring him would be a game-changer, the bottom line is San Diego must be willing to pay for a true frontline starter or pursue an equivalent upgrade through a trade — Skubal or not.
Securing an ace is priority number one. If San Diego can do that, plus add another top starting pitcher if they're lucky, the Padres will be in a much better spot heading into 2027.
What Does the Padres Rotation Look Like Right Now?
Assuming King opts out, the Padres' only certain returners are Randy Vasquez and Joe Musgrove.
Yu Darvish could return and the team has a $14 million player option on Nick Pivetta. Aside from that, there are only more question marks.
The Padres essentially need to build an entire rotation this winter. They can't be cheap again when they do it.
Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X/Twitter for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on Google