With the departure of Dylan Cease, the San Diego Padres lost one of their front-end starters who had a lot of talent. Now, they’ll need to rely on Michael King more, along with Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove.
After that, though, they don’t have anyone for the backend. Fansided’s Chris Landers proposes the Padres solve that problem by signing All-Star veteran Chris Bassitt.
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“Bassitt didn't finish the 2025 season in Toronto's rotation, but he hit the ground running in relief during the team's run to the World Series. And while he doesn't offer much upside as a guy in his late 30s with exceedingly average stuff, he should still hold plenty of value for a team with star power at the top but not a ton of depth in its rotation. Enter the Padres, who have... Not a whole lot beyond Michael King, Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove, a trio long on potential but also long on injury risk. Arguably no team needs ~170 innings of a 4.00 ERA more than San Diego, and Bassitt could provide it for cheap,” Landers wrote.
This past season, Bassitt posted an 11-9 record, a 3.96 ERA, 166 Ks, and a WHIP of 1.327 over 170 innings pitched. He wins games, gets Ks, and eats innings; all things that make for a great back-end starter.
Plus, he’ll be relatively cheap. He’s projected to receive a two-year, $31 million deal, and for the Padres, that’s a deal worth taking.
Hopefully, they get on it and make sure they replenish their depth in the rotation for 2026.
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