San Diego eyes a former Cy Young candidate to bolster its rotation. Zac Gallen could be the ace to elevate the Padres' championship aspirations.
San Diego Padres fans are still hoping for one big move this offseason, with spring training just weeks away. It’s been quiet so far, but having A.J. Preller as their general manager means there’s always a possibility for a big move in San Diego.
Perhaps that move comes in the form of signing a top free agent starting pitcher. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter believes that is a likely possibility, ranking the Padres as the best landing spot for right-hander Zac Gallen.
The Padres lost out on starter Dylan Cease earlier this winter and narrowly brought back Michael King. Still, with Cease gone and Yu Darvish out for the year and considering retirement, the starting rotation in San Diego brings about some concerns.
Nick Pivetta and King are a great one-two punch, but the rest of the rotation leaves more to be desired. Randy Vasquez had a solid 2025, but his 4.81 career FIP is exactly ideal. Joe Musgrove has been great during his Padres career, but he hasn’t pitched on a major league mound since 2024 acter tearing his UCL. Lastly, left-hander JP Sears posted a 5.47 ERA with the Friars last season.
There’s plenty of room for a reliable starting arm in San Diego, and Gallen can be the perfect guy to be just that. Despite taking a step back in 2025 with his 4.83 ERA, Gallen still logged nearly 200 innings for the Arizona Diamondbacks. With the uncertainty around Musgrove as he returns from Tommy John surgery, having a guy like Gallen to eat a huge chunk of innings is extremely important.
Even if he hovers around league-average production while on the mound, signing Gallen would be a positive for San Diego. Still, that’s just the floor – it could pay off big time for the Padres. Gallen was an All-Star and finished third in Cy Young voting in 2023.
Last season was just the second time in his seven-year career that his ERA rose above 4.00, and at 30 years old, there’s reason to believe Gallen can get back down to recording an ERA around his career average of 3.58.
To sign Gallen, the Padres would have to give up their second pick in the 2026 draft, but that wouldn’t be until No. 60. San Diego already possesses the worst farm system in the league as a result of their aggressive moves, and giving up that pick for Gallen would be just the latest sacrifice in their hunt for first place in the NL West.
Whether it’s a one-year rental or multi-year deal, Gallen’s arm in the San Diego rotation would significantly boost their chances in the division in 2026.