A.J. Preller is in search of starting pitching for the Padres in 2025. 

The 2024 season did not end well for the San Diego Padres.

The lack of offense in the final two and a half games was puzzling. But that is how the game of baseball goes sometimes.

For the Padres, the majority of the roster is locked in for the 2025 season. Tanner Scott, Jurickson Profar, Kyle Higashioka, and Ha-Seong Kim are free agents. Donovan Solano and David Peralta will also need to be secured for the coming season, but the team’s nucleus is still intact.

Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish, and Michael King will anchor the Padres rotation while Joe Musgrove mends after Tommy John surgery. Matt Waldron, Randy Vasquez, and Jhony Brito are possibilities next season, as is Bryan Hoeing, who was acquired from the Marlins at the trade deadline.

On paper, the Padres look to be comfortable in the starting pitching department.

However, the aspirations for the Padres go beyond being just comfortable regarding the roster.

The starting staff is full of question marks. Darvish’s elbow has been flaring up for the past few seasons. The right-hander has yet to undergo any recent major surgery on the elbow, so in a sense, his outlook for 2025 is murky at best. I am sure, in spurts, Darvish will be productive in 2025, but he may need rest every once in a while.

The two pitchers who look to be full steam ahead in 2025 are King and Cease. The issue with them is that the 2025 season will be the last season each pitcher throws under contract. Yes, both are free agents at the end of the season and will command a hefty payday. It’s not exactly optimal for the Padres, who are balancing their budget currently.

Waldron, Vasquez, Hoeing, and Brito are capable of raising their game to the next level in the coming season, but some would argue they are equally capable of failing like dozens of young pitchers do each and every season. There is no certainly in the game. Especially when it comes to young pitchers.

In the minors, the Padres traded most of their relevant starting pitching prospects this past season. Dylan Lesko, Robby Snelling, and Drew Thorpe are elsewhere. There are some pitchers who may help in 2025. Victor Lizarraga, Henry Baez, Francis Pena, Isaiah Lowe, Ryan Bergert, Braden Nett, and Austin Krob are getting close and aren’t exactly household names as far as prospects are concerned. But that doesn’t mean they do not possess value for the Padres in the coming season.

Of that mix, Pena is extraordinary. The 23-year-old possesses an electric fastball, and there were some whispers that the Padres explored activating him late in 2024. Expect him to debut in 2025.

In A.J. Preller’s scrum with the media this week, he was pretty blunt about his future goals. “We are always looking for pitching and starting pitching,” Preller said. The team is aware of some offensive needs, but it seems like the focus is on adding to the staff. Preller mentioned the loss of Musgrove as a key contributing factor in his quest.

Corbin Burnes and Max Fried are free agents this winter. There are also a number of top-of-the-line pitchers, led by Blake Snell, who may opt out of their contract this winter. It remains to be seen if the Padres can afford to add payroll for a starting pitcher. Roki Sasaki may become available this winter, and most would argue he is the pitcher worth a large investment. The 23-year-old phenom from Japan is blessed with a fastball that tops out at 102 mph. The Padre are already linked to the superstar pitcher.

It is unlikely the Padres will make a massive addition via free agency this winter. They would need to get creative and move some payroll first. Nothing is ever a certainty with the Padres and A.J. Preller, but you get a sense another trade is the likely move for the Padres in their search for pitching.

“We will continue to add to the starting pitching,” Preller admitted to the media this week. The Padres will make some additions to the starting staff. It is not in the nature of A.J. Preller to be patient and just sit back. This winter could be interesting once again as A.J. Preller upgrades his roster in search of a World Series title.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.