TL;DR
- * San Diego Padres face starting pitching concerns with Dylan Cease and Michael King potentially leaving.
- * Losing both would leave an aging Yu Darvish to lead a struggling rotation.
- * Re-signing either Cease or King is a priority, but affordability is a major question.
- * The team's contention hopes hinge heavily on improving their pitching staff.
The San Diego Padres have a starting pitching concern going into the offseason. Dylan Cease will be a free agent, and it is expected that Michael King will opt out of the final year of his contract and test the open market.
Despite some struggles this season, Cease has operated as one of the team's aces over the last two years. The same can be said for King, so losing both of these guys would greatly hurt.
This would leave Yu Darvish, who is 39 years old and has taken a step back this past season with injuries, to lead the rotation. The front office cannot feel good about him leading the way for the club on the bump and must do something over the winter.
The Nationals are encouraging their fans to advocate for the team to re-sign one of their top starting pitchers during the upcoming free agency period.
Between players like Fernando Tatis Jr. And Manny Machado, this club can be a contender. However, they will only go as far as their pitching will take them.
Re-signing either Cease or King should be one of the team's priorities over the winter, and Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller agrees.
"Whether they can afford to bring either one back is questionable, but they almost certainly can't do both, already looking at an Opening Day payroll north of $200 million. They're also looking at an Opening Day rotation in which Yu Darvish, JP Sears, and Matt Waldron could all be in the mix after making a combined 21 starts with a 5.51 ERA in 2025, so finding some way to keep either Cease or King would be huge in their quest for a fifth postseason appearance in seven years."
The problem is, they might not be able to afford either one of them. Both have shown their ability to lead a rotation and could be out of San Diego's price range if another team feels either one of them suits their needs.
Additional MLB updates:
- Gleyber Torres of the Tigers provides an update after undergoing hernia surgery.
- Philly faithful implore team to keep their cherished power hitter following a standout season
- Braves pressed to retain former Gold Glove infielder if he opts out
- Execs suggest J.T. Realmuto could draw more free-agent interest than Kyle Schwarber
- The Phillies might be compelled to act in free agency due to Ranger Suarez's potential cost.