To say it lightly, this offseason will be quite difficult for the San Diego Padres. They need to address their hole in the starting rotation after Dylan Cease signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, Michael King is on the open market, and Yu Darvish is out for the 2026 season.
That is quite the trio to be missing, and San Diego will certainly be looking to acquire a starting arm or two over the next few months. They are also expected to take a look at the first base and DH market with Luis Arraez and Ryan O'Hearn on the open market.
Another area the Padres could address is their lack of depth. It is expected that they will sign some bench players to help the club if any of the core starters get injured.
Former GM believes a reunion could be in order for the Padres this winter
That is quite a lot of holes that the Padres need to fill, but their focus will likely be on bolstering the starting rotation. There are quite a few intriguing pitchers on the open market, but The Athletic's Jim Bowden points to a reunion with Nick Martinez.
"Martinez is a plus in the clubhouse and his versatility is very valuable. The Padres, Giants, Mets, and Braves are potential landing spots for Martinez."
Martinez played for the Padres for two seasons in 2022 and 2023 before declining his player options and signing with the Cincinnati Reds. He could be a great addition, as not only can he start games, but he is also comfortable coming out of the bullpen in a swingman role.
However, the Padres are not the only ones linked to Martinez. Bowden also mentions that the San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, and Atlanta Braves are also teams to watch here.
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