Padres Offseason Moves That Already Look Smart, and Dumb

The San Diego Padres have made offseason moves that already look smart, but there have been some that also look ... not-so-smart.

Another masterclass move by president of baseball operations A.J. Preller transpired this offseason with the acquisition of Nick Castellanos. The two-time All-Star was released by the Philadelphia Phillies and was picked up by the Padres for the league minimum salary.

San Diego asked Castellanos to work at first base this spring, which has seemingly worked out well for both parties.

In other words, the Padres landed a Silver Slugger without breaking the bank. Preller has always found creative ways to bolster the lineup and this is perhaps some of his best work.

The Padres also made three under-the-radar moves that should seemingly help the team throughout the lengthy season. The signings of Germán Marquéz, Walker Buehler and Griffin Canning gives the Friars experienced starters at a cost-efficient price. Whether those moves pan out, however, depends on how each pitcher fares this season.

Which takes us to the team's not-so-smart move...

Padres' Biggest Mistake This Offseason

The Padres have made a big mistake by not shoring up their starting rotation with proven talent. Yes, San Diego's three staples in the rotation (Michael King, Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove) are household names.

But King and Musgrove both present injury concerns, which have already unfurled with the latter. Musgrove is not on the Padres' Opening Day roster, and instead will start the 2026 season on the injured list.

“He’s most likely going to start on the IL this year," Stammen said last week. "This was part of the plan. We knew he was going to have to take some time off, we knew we were going to have to get him ready for the entire season, and not just Opening Day.”

It isn't known when Musgrove will return. He will likely need to make three to four starts in the minors before making his way to the rotation whenever he restarts his throwing progression.

Musgrove's setback left the Padres searching for two additional starters as Randy Vásquez is the team's No. 3 pitcher. To be frank, San Diego's internal options to fill those two slots were limited.

The 162-game season presents its own challenges as the unknowns of the year bring teams a new set of challenges. The Padres have seemingly forgotten this phenomenon based on the status of their starting rotation, which is extremely bleak.

The Padres lost one of their most reliable pitchers in Dylan Cease this offseason, who signed a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. San Diego is also without veteran starter Yu Darvish, who will miss the 2026 season after undergoing elbow surgery.

And yet, the Padres failed to acquire another proven commodity to add to the rotation. Preller seems content with the starting pitching the Padres currently have, but it's not a guarantee that Buehler or Márquez will pan out.

Moreover, there's still the ongoing question of whether Musgrove will be the same pitcher he was before Tommy John surgery. Then, King missed nearly four months last season, while Pivetta is looking to put together an encore season after what was by far a career year in which he was the beneficiary of some fortunate luck.

The Padres would have benefitted from adding a known commodity to the starting rotation. Instead, they'll be hoping for breakout seasons from a few veteran castoffs while relying on a bullpen that will hope to be pitching with a lead.

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