Overview
- The Padres have told agents and scouts they are pursuing a large share of the starting‑pitcher market as they try to rebuild a rotation that will lose several free agents.
- San Diego has scheduled a meeting with Tarik Skubal and has been linked to targets including Freddy Peralta, Nick Martinez, Matthew Boyd, and Foster Griffin.
- President of baseball operations A.J. Preller emphasized pitching depth at the GM Meetings and plans to discuss spending capacity with owners Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones and CEO Erik Greupner.
- The urgency comes from a roster gap created by impending departures of Michael King, Nick Pivetta, Walker Buehler, Casey Mize, Robbie Ray, and Griffin Canning, leaving the club short multiple rotation spots.
- The new ownership’s promise to keep or raise payroll, combined with the Padres’ history of short‑term deals and opt‑outs, suggests the front office may use creative contract structures to sign several starters before the winter deadline pressures take hold.