German Marquez. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Padres continue busy day by signing former longtime Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez

By Zachary Cariola | Last updated Feb 14, 2026 6:14 PM ET

The San Diego Padres and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller spent Valentine's Day adding players who will give them the best chance to take down reigning the World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

They came to terms with former Philadelphia Phillie Nick Castellanos to play first base, the outfield and be the designated hitter. Then the Padres deepened their rotation by signing veteran right-hander Griffin Canning and now former Colorado Rockies right-hander German Marquez on a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez.

Marquez has spent his entire 10-year career pitching in the Mile High City (Denver), where he went 68-72 with a 4.67 ERA in 203 games (200 starts) and struck out 1,069 batters in 1,146.1 innings.

Marquez struggled in 2025 after recovering from Tommy John surgery, going 3-16 with a 6.70 ERA (career high) in 126.1 innings.

Source: SP Germán Márquez and the Padres are in agreement on a 1-year deal.

Márquez, 30, looks to bounce back from a rough first year back from Tommy John surgery and will do it in a far more favorable environment. Not long ago, he was one of game’s most durable starters.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) February 14, 2026

The Padres have one of the deepest starting rotations with the addition of German Marquez

By signing Marquez and Canning, the Padres have 10 starting pitchers to choose from, which is one of the deepest starting rotations in baseball.

The Padres' potential starting five:

Michael King
Nick Pivetta
JP Sears
Canning
Marquez, with right-hander Joe Musgrove joining the fold at some point after missing the entire 2025 season.

Not pitching at Denver's altitude should help alleviate Marquez’s struggles and usher in some success. No longer having to lead a staff should reduce the pressure on his shoulders, and Marquez could revert to being the All-Star he was in 2021.

Zachary Cariola

My name is Zachary Cariola and I have been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. My areas of expertise are MLB, NBA, and NFL. When I’m not writing, I love spending time with my family and learning history.

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