Padres Add Veteran Arm German Márquez to Deepening Rotation Mix
Valentine’s Day wasn’t just about hearts and flowers in San Diego-it was about arms and upside. After a relatively quiet offseason, the Padres lit things up with a trio of moves, capped off by the addition of longtime Rockies starter Germán Márquez on a one-year deal.
The move brings a familiar NL West face into Petco Park, as Márquez leaves Colorado after spending the first 10 years of his career in a Rockies uniform. The 30-year-old right-hander now joins a Padres rotation that’s quietly become one of the deeper groups in the National League.
Let’s break it down.
A Fresh Start in Friendlier Territory
Márquez’s career ERA sits at 4.67, but that number needs context. Pitching a decade at Coors Field-where breaking balls break a little less and fly balls fly a little more-tends to inflate numbers. His 105 ERA+ tells a more accurate story: league-average production in one of the toughest environments for pitchers in the game.
Now, he moves to Petco Park, a venue known for its pitcher-friendly dimensions and marine-layer cushion. That’s a significant shift, and it could be exactly what Márquez needs as he looks to bounce back from a rocky 2025 season, which saw him post a 6.70 ERA after returning from Tommy John surgery.
There’s no sugarcoating it-last year was rough. But Márquez has shown in the past he can be more than serviceable.
He’s a former All-Star and one of the few pitchers in recent memory to claim a Silver Slugger, taking the award in 2018 after hitting .300 with a .650 OPS. While the bat won’t be part of his arsenal in San Diego, the arm still has something to offer-especially in the right setting.
Where He Fits in the Rotation Puzzle
With Michael King leading the charge, the Padres’ rotation already includes Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove, Randy Vásquez, and JP Sears. Add in recent pickups Griffin Canning and Márquez, along with internal options like Miguel Mendez, Kyle Hart, and Matt Waldron, and suddenly San Diego has no shortage of arms to sort through.
That’s a good problem to have.
Márquez won’t be asked to carry the rotation, but he doesn’t have to. What he brings is experience, innings, and the potential to rediscover the form that made him one of the more reliable starters in the NL West just a few years ago. If he can settle into a mid-rotation role and keep the ball on the ground, the Padres might have found real value on a one-year flyer.
A Low-Risk, High-Upside Play
This is the kind of move that can quietly pay dividends over a 162-game season. Márquez doesn’t need to be an ace-he just needs to be solid. And if he can give the Padres 25 starts with league-average production or better, that’s a win.
Coming off surgery, there’s always a question of durability and command. But Márquez has shown the ability to miss bats and limit hard contact when he’s right. A change of scenery, a full offseason to recover, and a more forgiving home park could be just what he needs to get back on track.
Bottom Line
San Diego didn’t make headlines early this offseason, but they’re making moves that could matter when the games start counting. Márquez joins a growing list of arms vying for rotation spots, and his experience in the NL West gives him a leg up in terms of familiarity with the competition.
If he bounces back, the Padres may have landed one of the more underrated signings of the winter. If not, they’ve still got the depth to absorb it.
Either way, San Diego’s rotation just got a little more interesting-and potentially a lot more dangerous.