Padres Enter Offseason Arms Race With Giants in Pursuit of Mid-Tier Rotation Help
The Padres are staring down a familiar foe this offseason - not just the challenge of rebuilding a rotation, but doing it while the San Francisco Giants are chasing the same targets.
San Diego’s need for starting pitching isn’t exactly breaking news. With Dylan Cease off the board - he landed a massive seven-year, $210 million deal with the Blue Jays - the Padres are in the market for arms that can stabilize the rotation without blowing up the payroll.
The problem? The Giants are shopping in the same aisle.
San Francisco, now under the front office leadership of former franchise cornerstone Buster Posey, has been aggressive in reshaping its roster. Posey’s first year at the helm included some headline-grabbing moves - trading for Rafael Devers and handing out a seven-year, $182 million deal to shortstop Willy Adames. That kind of splashy spending had the rest of the division taking notice.
But when it comes to the pitching market this winter, the Giants appear to be shifting gears. Reports indicate they’ve drawn a line when it comes to top-tier spending, particularly on international ace Tatsuya Imai. Despite being linked to Imai - widely regarded as the premier pitching prospect from Japan this offseason - San Francisco hasn’t shown a willingness to meet the high price tag.
That restraint puts them in direct competition with the Padres, who are also targeting more modestly priced arms. With financial flexibility limited, San Diego isn’t expected to make a serious run at Imai either. Instead, both clubs are circling the same middle tier of starting pitchers - think names like Chris Bassitt, Adrian Houser, and Zac Gallen.
Michael King is another name to watch. The right-hander is one of the more intriguing options still available.
Teams see the upside - he’s shown flashes of being a legit starter - but there’s hesitancy to pay him like one since he hasn’t logged a full season in that role. For the Padres, he could be a swing piece: someone who offers rotation depth or slots into a high-leverage bullpen role.
Either way, he won’t come cheap.
President of baseball operations A.J. Preller is no stranger to navigating tight markets, and this offseason is shaping up to be a test of his ability to find value in a crowded field.
The Padres need rotation help, yes - but they also have holes at first and second base. That means every dollar counts.
The Giants, meanwhile, may not be chasing the biggest names, but they’re clearly not sitting still. Posey’s approach so far suggests a willingness to be aggressive - just not reckless. And that could make things tricky for San Diego.
What we’re seeing here isn’t just a typical offseason bidding war. This is a true arms race between two division rivals, each trying to reload without overextending. The Dodgers may still be the class of the NL West, but the Padres and Giants are jockeying for position - not just for 2026, but for the long-term trajectory of their respective franchises.
The question now is who moves first. Because in a market this competitive, hesitation could mean missing out entirely.