The Padres’ offseason to-do list has been pretty clear: bolster the starting rotation. With Yu Darvish not returning in 2026 and trade rumors swirling around Nick Pivetta, San Diego’s pitching depth chart has been looking a little thin. But the front office is wasting no time addressing the issue - and they’ve just made a move that could quietly pay dividends.
The Padres are set to sign right-hander Griffin Canning to a one-year deal, pending a physical, according to reports. While the signing of Nick Castellanos grabbed the headlines, it’s the addition of Canning that might have the bigger impact on the field - especially when you look at what the Padres are trying to build on the mound.
Canning is coming off a strong season with the Mets, where he made 17 starts and posted a 3.77 ERA with a 7-3 record and 1.1 bWAR. That’s a noticeable jump from his years with the Angels, where he averaged a 4.78 ERA over five seasons.
Whether last season was a breakout or an outlier remains to be seen, but either way, it’s the kind of performance that makes this a smart, low-risk bet by A.J. Preller and company.
What makes this move particularly savvy is how it fits into the current state of the Padres’ rotation. Michael King is locked in at the top, but beyond that, it gets murky. Pivetta could be on the move, Joe Musgrove is still working his way back from injury, and the rest of the group - Randy Vasquez and JP Sears - are more depth pieces than rotation anchors.
Enter Canning, a six-year MLB vet who’s shown he can hold down a rotation spot when healthy and in rhythm. He doesn’t need to be an ace - he just needs to give the Padres quality innings and stability, something they desperately need as they try to stay competitive in a tough NL West.
This is the kind of under-the-radar move that could end up being a key piece of the puzzle. If Canning can replicate even most of what he did in New York, the Padres will have added a reliable arm without breaking the bank or tying up long-term resources. And in a season where every inning counts, that could make all the difference.