This offseason is already shaping up to be a strange one, with uncertainty hanging over everything and a lockout looking likely in about a month. Even so, teams still have business to handle before the calendar flips to December 1, and the Phillies have some obvious pitching work to do.
They need a right-handed bat in the outfield, but the bigger issue is on the mound. After the way last season ended, plus the departures of left-handed relievers José Alvarado and Brooks Raley, Philadelphia has real gaps to patch in the pitching staff.
That’s where the Padres come in. San Diego’s bullpen and pitching depth could give the Phillies a prime shopping lane before the lockout, especially if they decide to work the trade market for relief help. If Philadelphia is looking for arms, there may not be a better place to start.
At the top of that list sits Adrian Morejon. The hard-throwing lefty has put together three straight seasons with an ERA under 3.00, including a 2.58 mark over that stretch and a 2.46 FIP. He’ll turn 28 this offseason, which likely puts him in line for the biggest reliever contract on the market.
That kind of price tag could be a problem for Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies, especially with the salary cap situation still murky. Moving on from Alvarado and Raley could help balance the books enough to make a run at Morejon, but San Diego already extended him a qualifying offer, so he has to make the first move before any club can fully pursue him.
If Philadelphia wants a less expensive bullpen arm, Jason Adam is another name to watch. The 2025 All-Star battled injuries last season but still got the job done across 38 relief appearances.
The 35-year-old right-hander owns a 2.68 career ERA in 379 games, though last year looked like the start of a downturn, with his strikeout rate dropping by almost 50%. He would cost less than Morejon, but he’d still be pricier than any Phillies reliever other than Jhoan Duran, who is due a raise.
There are also cheaper paths if the Phillies want depth rather than a headline addition. San Diego free agents Griffin Canning, Lucas Giolito and Walker Buehler all fit that mold as veteran swingmen.
Canning’s 2026 season was rough on the surface, with a 5.68 ERA, but his 4.75 FIP suggests the results were harsher than the underlying work. The 30-year-old would likely be open to a role as rotation insurance after the Padres declined his option.
Giolito would come even cheaper. San Diego also declined his option after a short, ineffective stint that ended with an IL placement because of elbow inflammation. The 31-year-old is several years removed from being a dependable starter, but he could still make sense as a low-risk flier, particularly if the 2027 season winds up shortened.
Buehler, meanwhile, stayed healthy in 2026 and made 32 starts for the Padres, though he finished with a 4.63 ERA. Still, he trimmed his walk rate and improved his strikeout rate from the year before, and he could circle back to a Phillies club he briefly helped late in 2025.
Then there’s Mize. The 2025 All-Star was traded from Detroit to San Diego at last season’s deadline and struggled badly over 44.2 innings with the Padres.
After giving up former first-round pick Kash Mayfield in that deal, San Diego appears to have cooled on him, and Philadelphia could step in if no team is willing to hand him a rotation job. A one-year deal to rebuild his value out of the bullpen could be the play.
The bottom line is simple: the Phillies don’t have enough internal pitching depth to cover all their roster holes next season. They’re going to have to add arms, and the Padres’ pile of available pitchers looks like a strong place to begin.
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What makes Sato especially appealing is the way he fits the Phillies current needs without creating the usual roster-building complications. Unlike some other free-agent targets, signing him would not come with draft pick penalties, which gives the club a cleaner path to add talent while keeping its long-term plans intact. For a team trying to stay competitive now while prospects continue to develop, that kind of short-term coverage and positional flexibility can carry real value. [Read more 🡒]