Uncertainty plagues the Padres' rotation. Can a former Cy Young contender like Walker Buehler revitalize San Diego's pitching depth?
The starting rotation for the San Diego Padres is currently looking thin, with the fifth and sixth options bringing in some uncertainty. As of now, the rotation is led by Nick Pivetta, Michael King, Randy Vasquez, and Joe Musgrove. In a world without injuries, that’s a strong front four for a team with postseason hopes.
Unfortunately, the reality may play out differently for San Diego. Despite resigning on a $75 million deal, King missed half of last season due to shoulder and knee issues. He’s been great for the Friars when he’s been on the mound, but it’s wishful thinking to expect a full season out of the righty.
Musgrove will throw his first pitch since the 2024 Wild Card series next year after undergoing surgery to repair his UCL. Since joining the Padres in 2021, Musgrove has been great, posting a 3.20 ERA across 98 games. Padres fans would love to see Musgrove return to the level he was before his injury, but the truth is that it may take a significant amount of games for him to reach those All-Star levels once again.
With questions surrounding Musgrove and King, the Padres could use the addition of a couple more starting pitchers to provide the team with some necessary depth. In a recent Bleacher Report article by Joel Reuter, in which he projected the starting rotations for each MLB team, Reuter projected the Padres to sign right-hander Walker Buehler to round out the bottom of the rotation.
“They have not been shy about taking on reclamation projects or relievers transitioning into starting roles, and buying low on Walker Buehler could provide some excellent value,” Reuter said.
Buehler was a top-three Cy Young candidate with the Los Angeles Dodgers as few as four seasons ago. Holding two All-Star nods to his name, there’s no doubt about what type of pitcher the 31-year-old could be.
Unfortunately, in 2022, Buehler underwent his second Tommy John surgery and had flexor tendon repair, keeping him out for the end of that season and all of 2023. In his return in 2024, Buehler wasn’t at the same level as before, posting just a 5.38 ERA in 16 starts. Last season with the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, Buehler lowered his ERA back under 5.00.
The Padres could slot in as a good destination for Buehler in this winter’s free agency, considering their financial restrictions and Buehler’s lower cost compared to other remaining free agent starters. If San Diego buys low on Buehler and he’s able to even get closer to his pre-injury levels, it could pay out huge for them as they desperately need some back-end rotational help.