Padres Coaches Reveal What Team is Looking for in Fifth Starter Competition

One of the most important storylines for the San Diego Padres this spring training is the battle for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation.

The top four spots of the rotation are all but set with Michael King, Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove and Randy Vásquez. However, the fifth spot is up for grabs, and there's a competition between five players: Germán Márquez, Walker Buehler, JP Sears, Triston McKenzie and Marco Gonzales.

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While the Padres' options for the fifth starter spot aren't ideal, the team knows they don't need a superstar pitcher to fill that role. Manager Craig Stammen recently talked about what the team is looking for from their fifth starter.

“He’s the ace on the day he’s pitching,” Stammen said. “That’s the No. 1 mentality for that guy. You don’t want to ever limit anybody when they take a big league mound. You want them to feel like they’re our best option, and that guy is on that day.

"We know the fifth starter is probably not as talented as the ace, but we’re expecting to win that day, and that’s why we’re putting him out there.”

Pitching coach Ruben Niebla had a similar mentality when discussing the job description.

“If you’re expecting to be a playoff-contending team — and there are tiers to being that playoff-contending team — your fifth starter has to be a guy that you can depend on,” Niebla said. “If your expectations are like, ‘Hey, we’re probably not (a playoff team),’ then let’s develop guys into that role. Let’s get our minor league system guys into that role and see what we have. We believe we’re a top-four playoff team. So our fifth starter, we are expecting that guy to be able to get us some wins.

"It’s guys that are gonna keep us in games and give us innings when we need to. Our one through three, the expectation is seven (innings). But there are gonna be three-(inning outings). So our five has got to be able to do seven (innings) sometimes.”

Márquez is likely the frontrunner in the competition given his major league contract. However, he struggled in his Cactus League debut, allowing three earned runs over two innings of work.

Sears, Gonzales and McKenzie have all struggled, as well, while Buehler is making his Cactus League debut on Thursday.

The Padres are hoping at least one of these pitchers goes out and wins the competition. If not, they could have some difficult decisions to make ahead of Opening Day.

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