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    Notes about the team are posted here.

    81 rumors in this category

      Matthew Lenz

      Right-handed pitcher Ryan Bergert, 25, is expected to be recalled by the San Diego Padres ahead of their Tuesday tilt against the San Francisco Giants. Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune shares that he is being pegged as the Padres' starter, which will be the first of his big-league career.

      This isn't Bergert's debut as he was first promoted in April where he threw four innings across four relief appearances not allowing a single walk or run, and striking two hitters. He has made 9 starts for Triple A-El Paso posting a 3.75 ERA (5.22 FIP)  and a 14.8% K-BB rate. It's unclear how temporary his spot in the rotation is but, at a minimum, he's tonights solution to a rotation who has lost Michael King and Yu Darvish to injury.

      Should the Padres be more aggressive on the trade market to address the injuries in the rotation or is backfilling with minor league depth the best route for now? Join the conversation in the comments!

      Matthew Lenz

      The San Diego Padres have added two members to their front office. Dennis Lin of The Athletic is reporting that Bud Black and Wil Myers will be joining the San Diego Padres organization.

      Myers will be a special assignment coach in player development, and Black will be a senior advisor to baseball operations. Both have previous ties to the organization - Black as a manager and Myers as a player.

      Black managed the club for 9 seasons from 2007 to 2015, posting a 649-713 record with zero playoff appearances. Myers, who played for Black, had a .781 OPS and 135 home runs across eight seasons with the Padres.

      What are your thoughts on these hires by the club? Let us know in the comments!

      Steve Drumwright

      Catcher Blake Hunt, a second-round draft choice of the San Diego Padres in 2017 who was involved in the Blake Snell trade, is returning to the club on a minor-league contract.

      A graduate of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, the 27-year-old Hunt spent the 2025 season in the Seattle Mariners' organization at Triple-A Tacoma. With the Rainiers, he put up a .272/.368/.452 slash line with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 68 games.

      Hunt played his first four professional seasons with the Padres, reaching Low-A Fort Wayne in 2019. He did receive a non-roster invitation to 2020 spring training, but the pandemic wiped away the minor-league season. That December, he was one of four players shipped to the Tampa Bay Rays for Snell. The others were catcher Francisco Mejia, right-hander Luis Patino and right-hander Cole Wilcox.

      Brock Beauchamp

      It's hard to predict how this offseason will unfold, as there is an increasing chance of (yet another) MLB lockout following the 2026 season. Will teams spend big this offseason, hoping to create surety in the face of an unknown collective bargaining agreement? Or will they be hesitant in hopes of a favorable outcome for ownership groups?

      No matter how it shakes out, teams will need to compete in the 2026 season, and they'll need to sign free agents this winter. DiamondCentric has compiled a complete list of free agents, sortable and searchable by pretty much any metric you need. Looking for a first baseman? A catcher? We have you covered. We offer two pages for your reference: one for position players, the other for pitchers.

      Free Agent Hitters In the 2025-2026 MLB Offseason

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      dc-initials.png Complete List Of 2025-2026 MLB Free Agent Hitters

      DiamondCentric.net
      Here is a complete list of free agent hitters in the 2025-2026 MLB offseason.

      Free Agent Pitchers In the 2025-2026 MLB Offseason

      pitchers.jpg

      dc-initials.png Complete List Of 2025-2026 MLB Free Agent Pitchers

      DiamondCentric.net
      Here is a complete list of free agent pitchers in the 2025-2026 MLB offseason.
      Steve Drumwright

      They are the four best words in baseball: pitchers and catchers report.

      Why? Because that signals the official start of spring training, bringing Opening Day that much closer.

      The San Diego Padres open camp in Peoria, Ariz., in just over three weeks, with pitchers and catchers reporting on Feb. 11 and the first full-squad workout Feb. 15. Oftentimes, players report early, depending on if they are coming back from injury or just want to get some extra work in with the coaching staff, but those are the mandatory report dates for the two groups.

      Those players who are participating in the World Baseball Classic have slightly earlier report dates. Pitchers and catchers, regardless of MLB organization, must report by Feb. 11 (same as the Padres) and position players by Feb. 12.

      The Padres' first exhibition game is Feb. 20 against the Seattle Mariners, the same team the Friars share the Peoria Sports Complex with. Technically, the Friars are the road team in that game, with their first home game Feb. 22 against the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. In the annual Spring Breakout game featuring top prospects from both clubs, the Padres will face the Chicago Cubs on March 21 in Mesa, Ariz.

      The final exhibition game will take place in Peoria also against the Mariners on March 23.

      Opening Day for the Friars is March 26 vs. two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers.

      Steve Drumwright

      After surprisingly receiving a major-league contract this offseason, right-hander Daison Acosta is headed back to the minors before the season begins.

      The San Diego Padres announced Monday that the 27-year-old reliever had cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A El Paso. It had not been previously known that it had been designated for assignment. This leaves the Padres' 40-man roster at 39.

      Also, catcher Ethan Salas, the Friars' top position player prospect, was reassigned to minor-league camp. Salas had been a non-roster invitee to major-league camp.

      Acosta, who signed a one-year contract for the MLB minimum of $780,000 in early December, has spent his previous eight seasons in the minors, the first six with the New York Mets and the last two with the Washington Nationals. The Padres gave him that deal after Acosta finished the season with a 0.90 ERA in 26 games, striking out 46 in 30 innings at Double-A. But that came after he opened the season at Triple-A and put up a 5.57 ERA in 19 games.

      It could portend an outside addition or adding a non-roster player to the 40-man roster. The Friars also have another 40-man move to make before Opening Day, with Yu Darvish not pitching this season.

      Steve Drumwright

      Merrill Kelly had dreams of living on Coronado and pitching at Petco Park with the San Diego Padres for the next three years. But California's high tax rate ultimately made the difference in the right-handed starter choosing to return to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

      The 37-year-old said Monday on the "Foul Territory" podcast that the Padres initially had the better deal for three years, but the D'backs eventually increased their two-year offer to make it worthy of turning down the Friars to remain in the desert.

      Kelly wound up getting a two-year, $40 million contract from the D'backs with a vesting option for 2028.

      "I don't think it's any secret on how much money you get taken out of your pocket when you go to California. There were a lot of factors that went into the three-year deal. It was definitely enticing, it definitely made the decision a lot harder to come back here. But once Arizona, once these guys got to the number they did, it made a lot of sense to come back here."

      California has a tax rate of 13% on incomes $1 million and above, while Arizona as a flat rate of 2.5%.

      "I love San Diego," Kelly said. "Like I said, they take too much money out of my pocket. The taxes over there are a different level. We had my numbers guy run the numbers and it just made more sense to come home — which is crazy on a two-year compared to a three-year (contract)."

      Kelly said he was close to choosing the Padres, but is happy to be able to not leave his family in the Phoenix area.

      "It worked out best for us because that was honestly our second choice," Kelly said. "It was between here and San Diego going into the offseason."

      Brandon Glick

      The San Diego Padres haven't had a Gold Glove winner since 2023, when both Ha-seong Kim (UT) and Fernando Tatís Jr. (RF) when the award.

      That may not change in 2025, though Tatis has at least been named a finalist for the award in right field. He posted eight Outs Above Average, nine Fielding Run Value, and 15 Defensive Runs Saved in another banner campaign in the outfield. Among all qualified National League right fielders this season, those marks rank second, first, and first. The other finalists are Corbin Carroll of the Diamondbacks and Sal Frelick of the Brewers.

      The Padres have no other finalists for the award, which is disappointing, especially after the season that Xander Bogaerts produced at shortstop. He earned seven OAA and seven FRV in 2025, though his -4 DRS likely kept him out of the running at such a loaded position in the Senior Circuit.

      Gold Glove winners will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 2.

      Steve Drumwright

      Right-hander Riley Pint, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2016 draft, has a minor-league deal with the San Diego Padres. It is likely to include an invitation to spring training, which begins next week.

      Selected by the Colorado Rockies out of a Kansas high school, the now 28-year-old Pint didn't take the mound at all in 2025 in his only season with the Cleveland Guardians' organization due to an undisclosed injury.

      Pint had spent all of his previous career with the Rockies, but made only five MLB appearances over the 2023 (one game) and 2024 seasons (four) as a reliever. Pint's journey also included a retirement during the 2021 season, but he returned the following year. In his minor-league career, Pint put up a 5.30 ERA with two eye-popping rates of 7.6 walks and 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings in 193 games, including 40 starts.

      But Pint went to Driveline this offseason, which included a pro day in which he hit 97.4 mph on his fastball and a 95 mph sinker. He also threw a sweeper and a slider. Driveline helps train players through state-of-the-art techniques.

      He will definitely be an interesting arm to watch this spring.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      One new guy is set to debut, while another is on the shelf for a bit.

      The San Diego Padres activated right-hander Griffin Canning from the 15-day injured list before Sunday's start against the Chicago White Sox, while right-handed starter German Marquez went on the 15-day IL with nerve inflammation in his right forearm

      Canning has not pitched since rupturing his left Achilles in June while with the New York Mets. He signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Padres as spring training began and made five rehab appearances with Triple-A El Paso.

      With the Mets last year, Canning had a 4.04 FIP (3.77 ERA) in 76⅓ innings, with a 10.7% walk rate and 21.3% strikeout rate.

      Marquez has had a rocky start to his Padres career. He signed for one-year, $1.75 million at the same time as Canning did after a 10-year career with the Colorado Rockies. In six starts this year, Marquez has a 6.69 FIP (5.76 ERA) with 12 walks and 19 strikeouts in 29⅔ innings.

      Marquez started Friday and was roughed up by the Chicago White Sox, allowing seven runs on five hits with five walks and two strikeouts in five innings.

       

      Steve Drumwright

      With players from all around MLB getting ready to leave for their World Baseball Classic camps, there is one member of the San Diego Padres who will be sticking around.

      Left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui, who sustained a minor left groin strain a week ago, will not participate in the WBC with Japan, Matsui said Thursday. His status for Opening Day with the Friars is to be determined. Matsui is a key member of one of MLB's best bullpen's.

      “It’s pretty disappointing,” Matsui told assembled media through interpreter Ike Ogata. “Especially since I didn’t do so well at the last WBC and I was looking forward to playing in this one. But that’s not the only thing. It’s baseball. I’m trying to move on, to get the best preparation for the season and to play for the Padres.”

       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

      A post shared by 97.3 The Fan (@973thefan)

      The 30-year-old was injured during a live batting practice session and knew then that he wouldn't be able to play in the WBC, but he and Japan wanted to wait to see how the recovery progressed before making his absence official. Matsui was replaced on Japan's roster by left-hander Yumeto Kanemaru.

      "Right now, I’m just continuing the throwing progression, throwing program, getting intensities and distances of (playing) catch back up,” Matsui said. “Once it’s good enough, good enough intensity, then I’ll start throwing off the mound. But as to when, we don’t know yet. … We’re not sure yet (about Opening Day)."

      Matsui, who has. 4.40 FIP (3.86 ERA) in his first two MLB seasons, will continue the rehab process at spring camp in Peoria, Ariz., and manager Craig Stammen said it could be beneficial to the pitcher and the team.

      "It also, on the bright side, allows him to ramp up for the season properly, we don't have to rush it," Stammen said. "He'll be here with us, with our trainers, our doctors to get ready. He's started throwing. We'll ease him back into competition and see how that shakes out by the end of spring training."

       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

      A post shared by 97.3 The Fan (@973thefan)

      Matthew Lenz

      As the San Diego Padres have already announced a flurry of moves - most of which create voids on the 2026 roster - they now have a position to fill on their major league staff.

      Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that the Houston Astros have poached Padres hitting coach Victor Rodriguez for the same position.

      The announcement comes at a time when the Friars don't have a manager and don't see themselves particularly close to hiring one. Moreover, whoever is hired as the new manager could bring in their own staff, costing Rodriguez a job. It's that uncertainty that justifies the lateral move. He had one year remaining on his deal.

      In two years with the big league club, the Padres' offense posted two of the best team batting averages in the organization's history. However, their power production didn't follow suit. Notably, in 2025, the Padres finished with the third-fewest home runs in baseball after finishing with the 10th-most (ironically tied with the Astros) in 2024. It stands to reason that Rodriguez's hitting philosophy prioritizes putting the ball in play over power.

      How do you think this will impact the 2026 Padres? Let us know in the comments!

      Brock Beauchamp

      How To Install On iPhone or iPad
      How To Install On Android Device

      Developing a pure, native app for either Android or iOS is a breathtakingly expensive endeavor, which is why we haven’t done it, despite so many requests over the years. Thankfully, technology has met us halfway, and PWAs (Progressive Web Applications) have reached maturity in the marketplace.

      What is a PWA? It’s effectively a pseudo-app that works much like a native application but doesn’t require tens of thousands of dollars in development to produce. It creates a single browser instance and maintains it as if it were an application. It’s basically a standalone browser tab, dedicated specifically to Padres Mission.

      From this app instance, you can receive notifications; the typical browser interface is removed, and the site is presented clearly, using as much screen real estate as possible, all without sacrificing any functionality. The site is faster, more reliable, and offers more mobile functionality than a standard web browser.

      Additionally, a newer, completely updated Padres Mission is coming later this year, and that will add even more app-like features, making PWA usage even better for all our users.

      With that said, here’s how you turn Padres Mission into an app on your mobile device.

      How To “Install” Padres Mission on iPhone or iPad Using Safari

      First, go to the home page of Padres Mission at https://padresmission.com/.

      1. Tap on the ellipses (…) at bottom right of screen.
      2. Tap “Share” in pop-up menu.

      ios1.jpg

      3. Tap “View More”.
      4. Tap “Add To Home Screen”.
      5. Tap “Add”.

      ios2.jpg

      That takes you to your home screen on iOS, where you can move the Padres Mission app around, just as you would any other app.

      Additionally, you can turn on notifications for them. Just go to the following link while logged into the site: https://padresmission.com/notifications/options/.

      ios3.jpg

      How To “Install” Padres Mission on an Android Device Using Chrome

      First, go to the home page of Padres Mission at https://padresmission.com/.

      1. Tap on the vertical ellipses (…) at top right of screen.
      2. Tap “Share…” in pop-up menu.

      android1.jpg

      3. Tap “Add to Home Screen”.
      4. Tap “Install”.

      android2.jpg

      That takes you to your home screen on Android, where you can move the Padres Mission app around, just as you would any other app.

      Additionally, you can turn on notifications for the site. Just go to the following link while logged into the site: https://padresmission.com/notifications/options/.

      android3.jpg

      Steve Drumwright

      Samad Taylor, an infielder-outfielder who has seen MLB action with two teams, has reportedly signed a minor-league contract with the San Diego Padres. Taylor also received a non-roster invite to spring training.

      The 27-year-old was a 10th-round draft choice by Cleveland in the 2016 draft out of Corona High School, about 90 minutes north of San Diego. Taylor was recently designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners and elected free agency.

      Taylor has appeared in 38 MLB games, including seven over the past two seasons with the Mariners. He made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Kansas City Royals, playing in 31 games. Taylor has a career slash line of .205/.272/.260 with no homers, four RBIs, and eight stolen bases.

      He was dealt by Cleveland at the 2017 trade deadline, with left-hander Thomas Pannone to the Toronto Blue Jays for right-hander Joe Smith. At the 2022 deadline, he was shipped to the Royals with right-hander Max Castillo for second baseman Whit Merrifield. Taylor was on the move once again in January 2024, going from the Royals to the Mariners for a player to be named, which became right-hander Natanael Garabitos.

      Taylor will battle for the last outfield spot on the Padres' roster with the likes of Tirso Ornelas.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Jeremiah Estrada's stay on the injured list wasn't very long.

      The right-handed reliever was activated from the 15-day injured list Friday by the San Diego Padres, who formally announced right-handed reliever David Morgan being optioned to Triple-A El Paso, which happened Thursday.

      Estrada, a vital piece of the Friars' bullpen, had been on the IL since April 10 with tendinitis in his right elbow. He made just two rehab appearances, one last Friday for Low-A Lake Elsinore and another Tuesday for El Paso. Estrada pitched one inning in each appearance and didn't allow a hit or a run, walking one and striking out two combined.

      Estrada's velocity, which in part led to his IL placement, was back to its regular upper 90s after being about 5 mph slower before going on the IL.

      Activating Estrada still leaves left-hander Yuki Matsui on the verge of returning from his strained left groin. Matsui's rehab assignment started April 4, meaning it runs through this weekend before expiring.

       

      Steve Drumwright

      The San Diego Padres have a new top prospect. At least according to MLB Pipeline.

      Kruz Schoolcraft, the 6-foot-8 left-handed starting pitcher who was the Friars' top pick in last summer's draft, was named the No. 88 prospect in all of baseball as revealed on MLB Network on Friday. Schoolcraft was the only Padre on the Top 100 list. He was ranked 95th in the season-ending rankings by MLB Pipeline.

      Selected with the 25th pick in the first round out of Sunset High School in Portland, Ore., the 18-year-old pitched in just one game after being drafted, getting his feet wet with the Low A Lake Elsinore Storm. That would be the likely starting spot for Schoolcraft for the 2026 season. Schoolcraft was also a first baseman in high school, but he is focusing on pitching to begin his pro career.

      Catcher Ethan Salas, the Padres' top prospect after the trade of Leo De Vries to the A's in the Mason Miller deal, fell out of the Top 100 after being No. 77 at the end of 2025. In 2024, Salas was MLB Pipeline's No. 8 prospect in all of baseball.

      Steve Drumwright

      Luis Arraez, winner of three consecutive batting titles, is joining a different NL West team for 2026.

      The infielder has agreed to a one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants, according to several reports. Bob Nightengale of USA Today said the deal is for $12 million. Arraez became a free agent after completing his arbitration eligibility with the Padres in 2025, a season in which he earned $14 million.

      The Friars reportedly extended an early offer for Arraez to return after being acquired via trade early in the 2024 season, in which he completed the batting title hat trick. Arraez became the first player in MLB history to win three straight batting crowns with different teams. He did it with the Minnesota Twins (.316 in 2022), Miami Marlins (.354 in 2023), and the Padres (.314 in 2024). In 2025, Arraez overcame a slow start to finish with a .293 average and an NL-leading 181 hits.

      The problem with Arraez is that he lacks a true defensive home. The 28-year-old has played every infield position and settled into second base with the Twins and Marlins. That was his home early with the Padres before being shifted to first base. According to a report Saturday before the deal with the Giants was finalized, Arraez had one-year and multiyear deals on the table, with his preference to play second base a potentially decisive factor.

      The Giants have veteran Rafael Devers and top hitting prospect Bryce Eldridge penciled in at first base and designated hitter entering spring training, leaving second base open for Arraez. Casey Schitt had been the projected starter at second before this move, which comes on the heels of signing Harrison Bader to play center.

      The Padres are going with some combination of Jake Cronenworth and Sung Mun Song at second base.

      Brock Beauchamp

      Manny Machado has been selected to be the All-Star Game starter for the National League at third base. This is his fourth selection as a starter. He is the only Padre to be fan-selected to start the All-Star Game, happening later this month in Atlanta.

      Machado is enjoying yet another standout season. He’s slashing .289/.351/.471 with 13 homers and 50 RBI, and his slugging percentage leads the Padres. Machado’s advanced metrics further underscore his efficiency: he boasts a .356 wOBA and a .378 xwOBA, with a hard-hit rate near 49%. On the Padres, he trails only Fernando Tatis Jr. with a 2.5 FanGraphs WAR. He crossed the 350-career-homer barrier in June and is closing in on 2,000 career hits, setting him up for major milestones if he keeps this pace.

      Matthew Lenz

      Major League Baseball announced the National League Silver Slugger winners, and one San Diego Padres player will need to make room in his trophy case.

      Third baseman Manny Machado won his third career Silver Slugger and second in as many seasons. His first Silver Slugger came in 2020, his second season with the Friars.

      Machado finished the year with 27 home runs, 91 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. His final slash line was .275/.335/.460, resulting in an OPS of .795, a wOBA of .341, and a wRC+ of 123. He was especially effective with runners in scoring position, posting an .832 OPS and 16 extra-base hits. Additionally, his .663 OPS when in a two-strike count was 28th best in all of baseball.

      The Silver Slugger Award is an award that recognizes the best offensive player at each position in both leagues. It is voted on by managers and coaches around baseball.

      Will he earn the three-peat in 2026? Let us know what you think in the comments!

      Matthew Lenz

      MLBTR is reporting that this offseason's cutoff for Super Two arbitration eligibility will be around two years and 139-140 days.

      Super Two status in Major League Baseball is a special designation that allows a select group of players to become eligible for salary arbitration one year earlier than the typical eligibility requirement. To qualify, a player must rank in the top 22% (rounded to the nearest whole number) of total Major League service time among all players who have between two and three years of service.

      In short, Mason Miller will be eligible for arbitration this offseason instead of being on a rookie minimum salary.

      Miller, acquired from the Athletics midseason, finished the season with a 2.63 ERA (2.23 FIP), 32.5% K-BB rate, and 32 holds + saves. Though he was one of baseball's premier closers before being dealt, he was mostly utilized as a setup man to Robert Suarez.

      How do you think this impacts the Padres' offseason plans?

      Steve Drumwright

      If everything goes to plan, Mason Miller could be striking out Shohei Ohtani for the final out of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

      That is because Miller, the San Diego Padres' closer, was named to the U.S. roster on Thursday. Miller joins starters Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, and Logan Webb, among others, as committing to play for the U.S. Skubal and Skenes were this year's AL and NL Cy Young Award winners, respectively.

      Miller, acquired by the Padres at the trade deadline from the Athletics, notched 22 saves in 26 chances between the two teams, including two saves in three opportunities with San Diego. Miller mainly served as the setup man for Robert Suarez, who was a free agent this offseason and recently signed with Atlanta.

      Miller has a 0.77 ERA and 1.12 FIP in 22 appearances with the Padres. He had a 54.2 strikeout percentage after the trade.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      It is official: Matt Waldron is back.

      As has been expected since Opening Day starter Nick Pivetta went on the injured list Tuesday, Waldron was activated from the 15-day injured list in order to start Friday's series opener against the Los Angeles Angels. Right-handed reliever Alek Jacob, who came up from Triple-A when Pivetta went on the IL, was sent back to El Paso.

      Waldron had been a candidate to make the Friars' rotation out of spring training, but that was interrupted when he required hemorrhoid surgery on Feb. 24. He was back pitching a couple weeks later, but with the additions of right-handed starters Walker Buehler and German Marquez, the Padres could slow play Waldron's return by putting him on the IL to start the season.

      Waldron has been on a rehab assignment at El Paso since the Triple-A season began and has performed very well. He made three starts for the Chihuahuas, tossing 12 scoreless innings, giving up seven hits and a walk against 12 strikeouts. Waldron's stay on the roster will depend on how well he performs as he is out of minor-league options.

      Jacob appeared in one of the three games he was active for, throwing two scoreless innings in Wednesday's 7-6 comeback victory over the Seattle Mariners.

       

      Matthew Lenz

      The first day of the offseason isn't even over, and the San Diego Padres are down a piece to their 2026 rotation puzzle.

      Though it's not a surprise, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King has declined his side of a mutual option, collecting a $3.75 million buyout in lieu of a $15 million salary in 2026.

      Despite a so-so season marred by injury, the move was widely expected, as the 2026 Starting Pitcher free-agent class is fairly weak. It's all but guaranteed that King will sign for more than the $11.25 million difference between his buyout and 2026 salary.

      Though 2025 was a bit of a lost season, teams have his 2024 season fresh in their mind, where he threw 173 1/3 innings in his first full year as a starter. In that season, he sported an impressive 3.33 FIP coupled with a 19.0% K-BB rate. 

      Do you think the Padres should re-sign Michael King or look to replace him in 2026? Let us know in the comments!

      Brock Beauchamp

      Michael King is returning to the injured list after making only a single start with the Padres, and just hours after Padres Mission wrote a note about his importance to the stretch run.

      San Diego placed the right-handed King on the 15-day injured list with left knee inflammation, retroactive to August 11. The move came five days after he was activated and one start into his return. San Diego recalled right-hander Randy Vásquez from Triple-A El Paso in the corresponding transaction. King had been lined up to start the series opener in Los Angeles on Friday. 

      King previously spent nearly three months sidelined with a right shoulder issue identified as a long thoracic nerve problem. He was placed on the injured list on May 25, transferred to the 60-day IL on July 7, and then activated on August 9 to face Boston. In that start, he worked two innings on 57 pitches, allowing four hits and two runs with one strikeout. 

      Across 11 starts this season, King has logged 57 1/3 innings with 65 strikeouts, a 2.81 ERA, and a 3.30 FIP. His strikeout rate is 27.5 percent, walk rate 8.1 percent, and K-BB% 19.5 percent. FanGraphs has him with 1.4 WAR on the season.

      Matthew Lenz

      Whether or not they add at the deadline, the San Diego Padres will receive a boost to their starting rotation when Michael King returns to the rotation, which may happen sooner rather than later. 

      In front of a pool of reporters on Friday, Friars manager Mike Shildt shared that starting pitcher King "felt good" after a bullpen on Wednesday and is scheduled for a simulated start on Monday.

      In 10 starts, covering 55 2/3 innings, King posted an excellent 2.59 ERA. He carried a solid strikeout rate with a K% of 28.4% and a good walk rate at 7.6%, leading to a strong K-BB% of 20.8%. He even threw his first career complete game shutout in April. Unfortunately, his season was interrupted in May when he was placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, which was later diagnosed as a nerve impingement. He was subsequently transferred to the 60-day injured list in early July. 

      How much can we count on Michael King to bolster the Padres rotation? Join the conversation in the comments!

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