It’s been quiet so far, but the San Diego Padres are sure to shake things up by the end of the offseason to address their roster needs after a 2025 season that abruptly ended in the Wild Card round. The main positional need for San Diego is starting pitching, and if they want to stamp their place in the 2026 postseason, general manager A.J. Preller needs to use his magic.

The Padres lost star right-hander Dylan Cease in free agency and will be without righty Yu Darvish in 2026 as he recovers from elbow surgery on his throwing arm. This leaves Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Randy Vasquez as the starters returning for the Padres from last season.

One starting arm that didn’t play in 2025 will also be returning to the mound this spring in Joe Musgrove. Musgrove has posted a 3.20 ERA in four seasons with the Padres, but missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery due to a torn UCL he suffered in the 2024 postseason. His return to the rotation is a positive, but it remains to be seen if he’ll need some time to return to his pre-injury level.

This leaves San Diego with the need for at least one more starting arm to fill out its rotation. With several free agent starters still available, it’s not yet time to panic. Here are three starters that would make great, realistic additions for the Padres:

At 36 years old, Bassitt threw over 170 innings for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025. His 3.96 ERA last season sat above the league average, and it was a positive sign after a 2024 campaign in which he recorded an ERA above 4.00 for the first time since 2016. With the Padres’ financial limitations that are keeping them from being real threats to sign the top starters like Framber Valdez, Bassitt would provide great value in the back end of the rotation on a short-term deal.

Another 36-year-old, Corbin, is also a great option for a one or two-year rental in San Diego. As a lefty, Corbin’s arm could provide some extra value as the Padres’ current rotation is heavily right-handed. Corbin enjoyed a bounce-back 2025 campaign after moving to the Texas Rangers from the Washington Nationals. His 4.40 ERA last season was his lowest since 2019. If the Padres believe it wasn't just a one-off season, making a deal for the 13-year veteran could be a sneaky good move.

Anderson has spent the last three seasons in Southern California with the Los Angeles Angels, but a move further south could be beneficial for both sides. The southpaw has been an All-Star twice in the last four years, having some down seasons in between. In 2025, Anderson posted a 4.56 ERA with a 1.41 WHIP. It’s not mind-blowing numbers, but a solid left-handed arm to hold down San Diego’s back of rotation is sufficient enough for the Padres.