The Padres’ rotation picture could look very different next season, and one name is already sitting at the center of the conversation: Drew Rasmussen.
San Diego is staring at a possible opening at the front of its staff if Michael King decides to opt out of the final two years of his contract and test free agency. Ideally, the Padres would keep King and still add another starter through a trade or free agency, but that’s the kind of offseason puzzle that can go sideways fast if the wrong pieces fall out.
Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller laid out just how wide the range of outcomes is for the Padres. “There's a dream scenario in which Michael King doesn't opt out of the two years left on his contract while both Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish make triumphant returns in 2027.
"There's also a nightmare scenario in which none of those things happen and the Padres are looking at JP Sears, Jhony Brito and Jagger Haynes as regulars in the rotation behind Nick Pivetta and Randy Vásquez," Miller wrote.
Miller’s answer to that uncertainty was Rasmussen, the Tampa Bay Rays ace. He pointed to Rasmussen as a prime trade fit for San Diego and even floated the possibility in plain terms: “Maybe they can pry Rasmussen away from Tampa Bay?”
The case for Rasmussen is strong. He has given up only three earned runs in 21 postseason innings in 2026, and he just turned in a career-high 172 innings this year. That workload goes with the kind of production that should land him in the top 10 of AL Cy Young voting for the second straight season.
With Musgrove and Darvish dealing with recent injuries, the Padres have a real need for another dependable arm. Rasmussen checks every box as a frontline starter, and if San Diego can get him, he could be the type of addition that changes the shape of its October run.
In Other News...
Padres Prospect Justin DeCriscio Is Forcing His Way Onto The Radar
Justin DeCriscio keeps adding to his case at a time when the Padres are always looking for young players who can push their way into the conversation. After going undrafted in 2024 before landing with San Diego as a 10th-round pick in the 2025 draft, he has used the Arizona Fall League to show why his name is starting to circulate a little more loudly. The blend is obvious enough: some offensive progress, enough speed to stand out, and the kind of defensive flexibility that lets a club imagine different ways to use him.
The latest jolt came with a three-run home run, the sort of swing that gets attention beyond a prospect report. DeCriscio has also been moving around the field, which only adds to the sense that he can help himself by staying adaptable, but the bigger question remains how his bat holds up against more advanced pitching. For a player who has already taken an unusual path just to get drafted, this fall is becoming an important test of how far that late momentum can carry him. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Suddenly Have A Shot At A Power Bat Worth Debating
Hanshins decision to post Teruaki Sato has put a potential power bat on the market just as the Padres continue weighing ways to deepen their lineup. San Diego is among the teams considering a run at the slugger, whose appeal is obvious enough: he offers the kind of offensive upside that can change the shape of a batting order, but landing him would come with real financial baggage in both a contract and a posting fee.
For the Padres, the question is not simply whether Sato can hit, but whether his power translates cleanly to MLB pitching and where he would fit defensively. Manny Machado is expected to stay at third base, which means San Diego would have to map out another role for Sato if it moves forward, making this as much a roster puzzle as a talent evaluation. [Read more 🡒]
Jackson Merrill Quietly Built A Padres Breakout Fans Should Notice
Jackson Merrills 2026 season ended with the kind of across-the-board production that usually turns heads around the league, even if it took a while to fully show up. During a year in which only six players reached the 25-homer, 25-steal mark, the Padres had two of them, with Merrill joining Fernando Tatis Jr. in that club after a strong finish helped reshape how his season looked on paper.
The first half was uneven enough that Merrills overall numbers still settled closer to league average than star level, but the second half told a different story. He hit .304/.339/.569 after the break, added 16 homers and eight steals, and closed the year with 26 home runs and 27 stolen bases, a reminder that his breakout came less with a bang than with a steady climb the Padres could not ignore. [Read more 🡒]