Despite losing Cease, Stammen and the Padres see strength in Pivetta, King, and a healthy Musgrove leading the rotation.
The offseason began with the San Diego Padres watching pitcher Dylan Cease sign a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Losing Cease was expected, especially after he turned down his qualifying offer. But, the Padres quickly pivoted and were able to bring back Michael King on a three-year deal with options to give the veteran a chance to bounce back after an injury-riddled season.
And, Joe Musgrove is expected back after missing the entire 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery.
As pitchers and catchers report ahead of the full spring training, the Padres rotation is headlined by Nick Pivetta, King and Musgrove, and new Padres manager Craig Stammen admitted he feels good about those three.
“Obviously [the rotation] is headlined with Joe, Nick and Michael. We feel good about those three -- and then there’s competition," Stammen said, via AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.
Pivetta stepped up as the Padres ace in 2025, finishing sixth in the National League Cy Young voting and leading the rotation all the way through.
So, for now, those three are locks, and Cassavell listed all of them in that category in his latest piece on Wednesday.
What the rest of the rotation looks like after that is a big question mark, but right now, that is a talented first three, if they can all stay healthy.
Randy Vasquez figures to be the frontrunner for the No. 4 spot, and he had 28 appearances (26 starts) and posted a 3.84 ERA in 2025.
But, Stammen and the Padres rolling out a Pivetta, King and Musgrove trio at the top has loads of potential, if they can stay healthy.
In 2024, Musgrove made 19 starts, going 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA. The year before, he made 17 starts, going 10-3 with a 3.05 ERA, so when he is healthy, he is one of the best in the rotation.
King was part of the trade that sent Juan Soto to the New York Yankees, and he went 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA in 31 starts in his first season in San Diego, so returning to that form would be massive for San Diego's hopes of making a run to the postseason again in 2026.
There is a chance the Padres add a starter via trade or free agency, although it remains to be seen which options make sense financially for San Diego.
At the end of the day, the trio that is expected to be at the top is a strong one for the Padres.