The Padres have a rotation problem that doesn’t come with an easy fix, and that’s why Drew Rasmussen makes so much sense as a trade target this offseason.
San Diego spent this season trying to patch together innings, and the results never really stabilized. Joe Musgrove was supposed to be the Opening Day starter before a pile of setbacks pushed his debut all the way to the wild-card round.
Nick Pivetta had a career year in 2025, but his follow-up was wrecked by nearly five months on the shelf. Walker Buehler struggled through the first half, Griffin Canning closed the year with a 5.68 ERA, and Lucas Giolito - brought in to cover for Pivetta’s absence - managed just 29.2 innings with a 5.16 ERA before his season ended near the end of June.
The midseason moves didn’t solve it either. Cy Young award winner Robbie Ray was acquired at the deadline, but his ERA rose from 3.08 before the trade to 5.02 after it. All-Star Casey Mize followed the same path, going from a 2.70 ERA to 7.46 after the deal.
That leaves the Padres staring at an offseason full of uncertainty. With the exception of Musgrove, all of those names could be free agents, and nothing is settled for the pitching staff beyond 2027 - even if Pivetta’s $14 million team option gets picked up. Michael King, the club’s most effective starter this season, also has a player option that he is likely to decline after posting a 3.21 ERA in a career-high 32 starts and 185 innings in 2026.
So if president of baseball operations A.J. Preller wants control over what happens next, he may need to make it happen through a trade. Rasmussen, currently on the biggest stage in the sport, would be an aggressive swing with a clear payoff.
The Rays right-hander just put together a season built for attention: a 2.67 ERA, his second straight All-Star selection, and league-leading marks in the American League in WHIP at 0.913 and strikeout-to-walk ratio at 5.44. He also struck out 174 batters while walking just 32 over a career-high 172 innings, which matters even more for a Padres team that had the fourth-fewest innings from its starters.
Rasmussen’s postseason numbers are just as sharp. In three starts totaling 21 innings, he has a 1.29 ERA.
There is also the contract angle. Ahead of the 2027 season, Rasmussen has a $20 million club option that the Rays are expected to exercise, but according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, they would look to move him if they aren’t comfortable committing what would be the most expensive one-year contract in franchise history.
That’s where San Diego could step in. Rasmussen would instantly look like the ace of the staff, and because he would be on an expiring contract, his trade value would be easier to manage. The Padres will have to keep payroll in mind, but $20 million for a true front-line starter would be a bargain as they try to rebuild the rotation.
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