Padres' German Marquez Has Clear Message on Opening Day Roster Competition

There is a week left until the start of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, and the San Diego Padres have to be one of the more interesting teams in the league. San Diego lost ace Dylan Cease in free agency, and their starting rotation has more questions than answers right now.

Multiple guys are competing for the final spot(s) in the starting rotation, and it has created a strong atmosphere within camp. San Diego has to cut the roster down, and there will be some players who won't be happy with the decision.

One player vying a spot in the starting rotation is veteran right-hander Germán Márquez. Prior to this season, Márquez had spent his entire MLB career as a member of the Colorado Rockies, playing 10 seasons for them.

Márquez signed a one-year deal with San Diego this offseason, which has a mutual option for the 2027 season. The Padres know Márquez very well from all the battles against him over the years, and the team is happy to have him on their side going forward.

Manager Craig Stammen and the front office have some tough decisions to make regarding the final roster spots. But Márquez is in the conversation, and that is all he can hope for after signing with the team.

Márquez has been around the game for a while now, and he understands that he can't control whether he makes the team or not. All he can do is put his best foot forward, and if the Padres like what he can bring to the table, he will make the cut.

“The only thing I can control is going out there and doing my job,” Márquez said. “They are going to make the decision and I’m just going to do my job.”

So far this spring, Márquez has pitched 11.2 innings, posting an ERA of 9.26. It hasn't been the best performance for Márquez, but his last start was his best after he allowed six runs in 1.2 innings to the Kansas City Royals on March 12.

This time, Márquez went five innings for the Padres, allowing three runs against the Seattle Mariners. Stammen praised the righty after his start, giving him some confidence after a nice outing.

“Good bounce back outing for Germán,” Stammen said. “Had the breaking balls going, good changeups, good velocity in the fastball. So overall, great outing for him. I know he had a few punchouts, eight or nine, something like that. Got through five innings. Pretty darn good outing.”

Márquez will keep pushing forward, no matter if he makes the roster or not. But having him in the organization could be beneficial for the Padres, especially if various injuries occur throughout the season.

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