![\"Nick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01kepwg8jeh7fjeb16ph.jpg\" "\\"Nick")
<\/p>\nThe pieces are finally coming together in San Diego. Michael King has returned, the bullpen remained intact after arbitration, and Sung-Min Song is coming over from Korea to bolster the infield<\/p>\n
The last question mark for San Diego is the starting rotation\u2019s depth. Ace Nick Pivetta is expected to lead the group, with King and Musgrove slotting in at No. 2 and No. 3. Along with that trio, the final two spots currently belong to Randy Vasquez and JP Sears.<\/p>\n
While either pitcher could perform well in 2026, it\u2019s hard to trust that both will step up as quality arms. San Diego needs one more starter.<\/p>\n
Given that the Padres are hovering around their 2025 payroll and are unlikely to spend more than last season, the front office will have to be creative if it wants to improve the pitching staff. What does general manager A.J. Preller have up his sleeve?<\/p>\n
Trade Nick Pivetta<\/p>\n
This is certainly an option, but it\u2019s hard to say if it\u2019s the right one. Addition by subtraction can work, but with the rotation as thin as it is, depth should be the priority. Unless Preller could somehow finesse two starters for the price of one, he should steer clear.<\/p>\n
The 2.87 ERA \/ 3.49 FIP may not be sustainable, but losing Pivetta\u2019s presence in a staff that relied on him so heavily in 2025 would significantly hurt the team\u2019s outlook. Pivetta (181.2 IP) and Dylan Cease (168.0 IP) were the only starters to throw more than 135 innings for the Padres last season. You can\u2019t lose both.<\/p>\n
With that said, Pivetta is expected to make over $20 million next season, and there is a world where that money is better allocated elsewhere. Teams like the Red Sox, Orioles, Mets, Angels, and Tigers (Skubal drama) are all potential candidates. Players such as Ryan Johnson (Angels), Christian Scott (Mets), and Connelly Early (Red Sox) are controllable, MLB-ready arms who could headline a solid return.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sep 10, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta (27) reacts after a strike out during the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Affordable Southpaw to Improve Depth<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not the most glamorous option, but it would be cheap and effective. Vasquez (133.2 IP \/ 3.84 ERA \/ 4.85 FIP) did enough in 2025 to earn himself a spot in the rotation this season if Sears and another lefty were to battle for the final spot.<\/p>\n
The Sears\/Cortes experiment failed last season, but pitcher performances can be a roller coaster. If you\u2019re looking to buy low, it\u2019s all about having the right guy at the right time.<\/p>\n
A name like former Padre Mart\u00edn P\u00e9rez fits this archetype perfectly. He won\u2019t cost much and performed well for the White Sox in 2025 before straining his left flexor tendon (3.54 ERA \/ 4.90 FIP \/ 56 IP).<\/p>\n
World Series champion Patrick Corbin is another lefty who could join the Padres\u2019 staff. His 150-plus innings in each season since 2020 and 4.25 FIP are enticing.<\/p>\n
Regardless of who they choose, two is better than one. If Sears continues to struggle in San Diego, having another option would be invaluable.<\/p>\n
Make History<\/p>\n
Skubal\u2019s fit in San Diego is undeniable. Preller has a perfect resume with arbitration and certainly wouldn\u2019t lowball him the way the Tigers did. Whether it\u2019s through a Pivetta trade or a combination of other salaries, he would transform San Diego\u2019s rotation.<\/p>\n
King, Musgrove, Pivetta, and Vasquez are all right-handers, making it vital that the Padres get meaningful production from a southpaw. Acquiring Skubal would immediately put this issue to rest.<\/p>\n
A hypothetical extension would create a payroll problem after the 2026 season, but Preller isn\u2019t known for thinking that far ahead. If the Padres truly want to win this season, then why not?<\/p>\n
Send:
Nick Pivetta
Ramon Laureano
Kruz Schoolcraft
Miguel Mendez<\/p>\n
Receive:
Tarik Skubal<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The pieces are finally coming together in San Diego. Michael King has returned, the bullpen remained intact after…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":406692,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[558],"tags":[64,63,591,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-406691","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mlb","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-mlb","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=406691"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406691\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/406692"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=406691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=406691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=406691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}