Padres Floated as Landing Spot for All-Star Starting Pitcher Surprisingly Available

The San Diego Padres entered the 2026 season with the thought that the starting rotation would be a major weakness, and nothing early on has suggested otherwise.

San Diego has seen a few quality outings from the top of their rotation in Randy Vásquez, Michael King and Nick Pivetta, but outside of Vásquez, there have been some question marks, too.

Injuries to a few players, such as Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish, decimated the overall depth of this club in the rotation, while other fliers haven't worked out yet. But as the Padres move forward, we could always see the front office try to make some extra additions.

Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has never been shy about making aggressive moves to add, and this could take place again. But something does need to change for the Padres, especially if the goal of this team this season is to still go after a World Series title.

MLB writer Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report floated the idea of the Padres being a landing spot for free agent pitcher Tyler Anderson. The left-hander never signed with anyone over the offseason, and he could be an interesting addition for a team like San Diego.

Why Tyler Anderson Could Make Sense for Padres

One of the main reasons why Anderson has yet to sign with a team is that he struggled last season while with the Los Angeles Angels. But Anderson has made two All-Star teams in his MLB career, with the most recent being from the 2024 season.

Overall, Anderson posted an ERA of 4.56 over 26 starts for the Angels. But his final 15 starts were a little rough, as they saw the left-hander put up an ERA of 5.50.

While the numbers don't look great, Anderson could, if anything, give the Padres more depth for the rotation going forward. San Diego isn't sure when they are going to get Musgrove back after he suffered a setback in his return from Tommy John surgery. He doesn't seem close to getting back on the mound.

Anderson could be someone to help this team eat innings, as he has pitched in at least 136 innings in each of the past four seasons. The lefty has also made at least 26 starts in each of the past four years as well, showing consistent availability for his teams.

The Padres need more help across the rotation, and Anderson could be an insurance option in case Musgrove is out even longer. Walker Buehler also hasn't lived up to his expectations for this team, and Anderson could replace him in the rotation.

Bringing Anderson into the mix would also allow the Padres to have a left-handed pitcher for the rotation, something that the team currently lacks. Overall, Anderson could be a nice depth piece for San Diego to consider, and he may end up giving them a solid season as he's done with others in the past.