Padres Expected to Cut Ties With $5 Million Pitcher This Offseason

Apr 23, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt (8) take the ball to relieve starting pitcher Kyle Hart (68) in the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres are sitting at just one game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

After dropping five games in a row, the Friars responded by outscoring the Colorado Rockies 18-9 in the final two games of the series and are looking to continue their winning ways back at home against the Cincinnati Reds.

Although there is a tense stretch of regular season baseball remaining before October, it is always worth looking into what the team will look like next season, and which players will return in 2026.

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ESPN's Jeff Passan discussed which players are likely and unlikely to have their team options picked up this offseason. Padres southpaw Kyle Hart was not predicted to have San Diego pick up his $5 million option.

Hart has had a long and winding road to return to MLB after being drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 19th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He would make his debut in 2020, but had yet to pitch off a Major League mound again until 2025.

After four outings in 2020 that saw Hart allow 19 earned runs off 24 hits, he would be in Boston, Philadelphia, and Seattle's farm systems until 2024. That was the season Hart would head to Korea and pitch in Korea Baseball Organization, hoping to find his way back to North America if his performance permitted it.

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As a member of the NC Dinos in KBO, Hart would go 13-3 with a 2.69 ERA across 157 innings of work. He struck out 182 batters and allowed just 38 walks on the year. This was more than enough to earn him Cy Young award-equivalent honors in Korea, and even got him a contract with the Padres this past offseason.

His first six outings in San Diego, all starts, Hart had a 6.66 ERA and a 2-2 record. After being stashed away in Triple-A for a little over a month, Hart has shown tons of improvement.

The southpaw has just a 2.70 ERA in his six appearances out of the bullpen, frequently moving between Triple-A and the majors since July.

If Hart can keep up this production in relief, he can certainly be a useful piece of an already dominant Padres bullpen; it will just be a question of whether his option is picked up or not.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.