1 last-minute signing Padres must make before spring training

The San Diego Padres have had a quiet winter, not going after free agents nor being involved in any trades. Compared to the last few offseasons, that hasn’t been the case. The Padres are normally one of the more active teams in the league.

The team resigned starter Michael King and signed Korean infielder Sung-Mung Song. Yu Darvish could retire from the league, and Joe Musgrove is expected to be back right away for the Padres. Luis Arraez could follow Dylan Cease and leave the Padres in free agency, or he could find himself back in San Diego. There have not been any serious rumors about the Padres bringing him back.

The Padres have a great roster. Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr, and Jackson Merrill are superstars capable of putting on a show each game. The Friars also have Xander Bogaerts, Ramon Laureano, Jake Cronenworth, and Gavin Sheets. It’s a great lineup, but it has room for more star talent.

This is what an early potential lineup could look like in 2026.

1. Fernando Tatis Jr.
2. Jackson Merrill
3. Manny Machado
4. Xander Bogaerts
5. Ramon Laureano
6. Gavin Sheets
7. Sung-Mun Song
8. Jake Cronenworth
9. Freddy Fermin

The bullpen is elite. Mason Miller is a weapon for the Padres as the new closer. Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada, and Jason Adam are elite relievers as well, and some of the best in the league. Those four relievers will produce a ton of innings in 2026.

The starting pitching looks like this for now.

1. Nick Pivetta
2. Michael King
3. Joe Musgrove
4. Randy Vasquez
5. Kyle Hart/JP Sears

The Padres should be in the market for another starting pitcher. Whether they can afford Framber Valdez or if they believe Zac Gallen will rebound off a down season, it’s still up in the air right now. According to Jon Heyman, the Padres have’t been very active about Gallen but have checked in.

1 Last-Minute Signing Padres Must Make

The Friars must sign one of the top remaining free-agent starting pitchers to solidify the rotation. Pivetta, King, and Musgrove are the only reliable starters on the team. Though King didn’t have a great 2025 season and was injured for most of the year, and Musgrove missed all of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery.

The Padres need a southpaw, although they would take another right-hander capable of producing solid innings. Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Zack Littell, Chris Bassitt, and Lucas Giolito are all great options who are capable of pitching like an ace. It should be known that the Padres have not publicly shown any interest in any of these starters outside of Gallen.

Knowing AJ Preller, he is interested in any and all players. If he wants to compete in the National League in 2026, he must sign one of these five starters.

Framber Valdez

Valdez would be an amazing addition to the pitching staff and would likely become their No. 2 starter behind Pivetta. Pivetta had an incredible 2025 season and was close to being a CY Young candidate. The Friars need a lefty to pitch in the middle of this rotation. Valdez would immediately put this rotation amongst the best in the league if they could all stay healthy.

According to Spotrac, Valdez is set to make over $33 million per season. Many teams are after the former ace of the Houston Astros. The Padres could afford Valdez on a shorter deal with some deferred money; however, the Padres have not shown that they are serious about spending big this offseason.

Zac Gallen

The Padres know Gallen very well. He has pitched in the NL West for years and has given the Padres fits. Gallen does have a qualifying offer, but the Padres could steal him away from the D-backs to serve as a legit threat in the rotation. The right-hander is 30 years old and is in the prime of his career. Gallen has a market value of just over $18 million. He is affordable for the Friars.

Zack Littell

Another affordable starter is Zack Littell, who is coming off a solid season with the Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds. The Reds traded for Littell to give them a boost for their short playoff run. Now, as a free agent at 30 years old, Littell can sign a multi-year deal in the Padres’ price range for a chance to be their No. 4 starter. Littell’s market value is roughly $12 million.

Chris Bassitt

Bassitt is getting older. He is almost 37 years old, but has pitched well enough to deserve the money he is valued at. He’s valued at $15.5 million, which is in the Padres’ price range. Bassitt has had 159+ strikeouts in five straight seasons. The right-hander would be a steady fit in the Friars’ bullpen.

Lucas Giolito

Giolito had an incredible 2025 season. He finished with 10 wins, a 3.41 ERA, and 2.1 WAR in 145 innings. He will command a lot of money, north of $20 million per season, but he would give the Friars a dominant high-end starter.

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