Breaking: Padres sign Nick Castellanos, Griffin Canning
Credit: Imagn Images
On Valentine’s Day, A.J. Preller gave his fan base and his team a little love by adding a veteran bat and a veteran pitcher.
It’s being reported by multiple sources, starting with Jon Heyman, that the Padres have signed outfielder/first baseman Nick Castellanos and right-handed pitcher Griffin Canning to one-year veteran minimum deals. In fact, the Devine Sports Gospel (DSG) was first on the news about Canning on Friday night.
Who was “first” with news is something over which very few people obsess.
But for the record, @DevineGospel definitively said Griffin Canning had agreed with Padres the night before anyone else.— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) February 14, 2026
Castellanos will earn $780 thousand on the contract, which will be subtracted from the $20 million Castellanos is owed by the Phillies for the 2026 season.
Castellanos is a well-known power hitter who will bring much-needed thump to an increasingly crowded first base and DH rotation with Gavin Sheets, Miguel Andujar, and more. It’s been reported that he’s been training more at first base in preparation for a likely release, and while he has played outfield for the Phillies, it’s unlikely he’ll get many opportunities given the Padres’ depth chart.
The Padres were very interested in Castellanos all offseason.
Nick Castellanos is expected to make his first-base debut with the Padres, while also seeing time in the outfield and at DH.
— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) February 14, 2026
Canning is a 30-year-old veteran who spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Angels before joining the New York Mets last year.
He, unfortunately, ruptured his Achilles tendon on a non-contact play in May and missed the rest of the 2025 season. It is believed he will be ready later this season and should add some depth to the pitching staff. A veteran with a six-pitch mix and a former Gold Glove winner with the Angels, he provides another potential option for the back of the rotation, joining players like JP Sears, Matt Waldron, Triston McKenzie, and Marco Gonzalez.
A Native San Diegan, Loren has spent his entire life not only as a fan but an active participant in San Diego’s sports world. In 2006 Loren joined two other die hard Charger fans to create Bolttalk, where Loren was a co-host and regular columnist from 2006 until the Chargers left in 2017. After that he started another podcast, The Grid Podshow, from 2020-2021 with his former co-host and colleague, speaking about the local sports community and popular culture.
When he’s not giving his opinion about San Diego sports, Loren is an adjunct professor at San Diego State and an attorney.