Is an Impact Bat or Rotation Depth More Important as Padres Look for New Additions?

The Padres’ offseason has continued to be headlined by rumors rather than actual additions, as they’ve watched National League rivals like the Dodgers, Mets and Cubs bolster their rosters in preparation for 2026.

Finally, general manager A.J. Preller has begun to wake up as mid-tier free agents start to come off the board. Even so, the organization has already matched last season’s payroll, making it unlikely ownership will approve any major deals.

That constraint limits what moves are realistically possible before spring training. Preller may have to choose just one of the roster’s multiple holes to address. Any addition would help, but the two most glaring needs remain starting pitching depth and lineup depth.

The rotation feels like it needs one more arm to support a shaky duo of J.P. Sears and Randy Vásquez at the back end, but the lineup also lacks pop behind a streaky Gavin Sheets and an unpredictable Sung-Mun Song.

On the pitching front, the Padres have been linked to Justin Verlander, Nick Martinez, Lucas Giolito, Zac Gallen and even Framber Valdez.

Offensively, the names connected to San Diego include Paul Goldschmidt, Andrew McCutchen, Luis Arraez and C.J. Abrams.

Across both groups, there’s a wide range of potential impact. Above all else, the most valuable move Preller could make would be adding a star bat. Between landing an arm like Valdez or Gallen and acquiring a hitter like Abrams, the latter has to be the priority.

A true impact bat would turn the lineup into one with virtually no weak spots, featuring Jake Cronenworth in the literal eight hole. In a league where rivals are spending aggressively on offense, the Padres need to keep pace, and Abrams’ availability represents their best remaining chance to secure affordable production.

The rotation would be questionable, however, which is why pitching should be the priority IF there aren’t any Abrams-level players available. A stacked lineup feels necessary to compete with the high spending N.L. powerhouses, but this team needs pitching.

Sears and Vásquez are slated for the No. 4 and No. 5 spots after seasons in which both posted xERAs above 5.00. Beyond that, Michael King threw barely more than 70 innings last year, and Joe Musgrove is recovering from Tommy John surgery. That leaves just one reliable, healthy starter in Nick Pivetta.

Adding a sixth starter would significantly stabilize the rotation, even if it meant fewer offensive upgrades. It’s only worth sacrificing pitching depth if the Padres can land a bat capable of matching the firepower of their NL rivals. Mid-tier arms like Verlander, Martinez or Giolito would allow Musgrove to rest, or give manager Craig Stammen the flexibility to pull Sears or Vásquez from the rotation if needed.

It’s been a quiet offseason in San Diego, but there’s still hope that Preller has a move coming. The only remaining question is which path the front office ultimately chooses.