The San Diego Padres are entering this season with aspirations that stretch all the way to the World Series. While their roster isn't flawless, there's still plenty of potential for them to make noise in the NL West and beyond. Beating the Los Angeles Dodgers is within reach, but it hinges on one crucial area: the starting rotation.
The bullpen and lineup are looking strong, but the rotation remains a significant question mark. ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle zeroed in on this, highlighting the 1.6 bWAR from starters not named Nick Pivetta as a pressing issue for the Padres.
Let's break it down: with Joe Musgrave and Griffin Canning starting on the IL, the Padres’ Opening Day rotation-aside from Pivetta-includes Michael King, Randy Vasquez, German Marquez, and Walker Buehler. Each of these pitchers has shown flashes of brilliance, but they've also had their share of struggles.
Michael King had a solid year, posting a 1.5 bWAR over 15 starts. Randy Vasquez put up a respectable 3.85 ERA across 26 starts, contributing 23 bWAR.
Still, there's room for growth. The bigger concerns lie with Marquez and Buehler.
Marquez, coming off a tough season with a 6.70 ERA and -1.1 bWAR, and Buehler, who split time between the Phillies and Red Sox, ending with a 0.0 bWAR, need to bounce back.
Both Marquez and Buehler have been All-Stars in the past, so the potential is there. However, the Padres need them to rediscover that form to truly challenge the Dodgers.
If the rotation steps up and Musgrave and Canning return strong, the Padres could be poised for a deep postseason run. But it’s a big “if.” Each pitcher in the rotation carries question marks into the season.
The Padres have a mix of potential and uncertainty. If things break right, they could be a force to reckon with. If not, it might be another year of what-ifs in San Diego.