Padres To Be Without $28 Million Reliever for Start of Season

The San Diego Padres are days away from kicking off the 2026 MLB season, and the team is dealing with some questions around the starting rotation. The starting group is easily the biggest weak point on the Padres' roster, and the team will be tested early on.

San Diego does have depth to throw out on the mound, but the options aren't the greatest. Injuries to both Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove have forced the Padres to put a plan together, potentially having the team not even bring a fifth starter into the mix.

And now, it's confirmed that the Padres' bullpen depth will be taking a hit for the start of the season. San Diego manager Craig Stammen confirmed that left-hander Yuki Matsui will begin the year on the injured list.

"Yeah, Yuki is doing good. I think he's ready to throw a live BP here before we leave and then he will be on a game progression after that," Stammen said. " ... He will open the season on the IL."

Craig Stammen confirms Yuki Matsui will open the season on the IL. pic.twitter.com/dI7jBjS24W
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) March 20, 2026

The left-hander suffered his groin injury during a live batting practice session in February, and he hasn't appeared in a game this spring. Matsui resumed throwing this month, but he felt soreness, so the team decided to shut him down to avoid further injury.

Matsui was a big part of the Padres' bullpen plan last season, so this is certainly a blow to their overall depth. The lefty pitched in 63.1 innings a year ago, posting an ERA of 3.98 while striking out 61.

The 2026 season will be the third year that Matsui has been with the Padres organization after he signed with them from Japan in the 2024 offseason. His 2024 numbers were similar to 2025, with his ERA being a little lower, coming in at 3.73

Matsui initially signed a five-year, $28 million deal with the Padres. He has an opt out after the season with two years and $13.5 million left on the deal. If he opts into his contract for 2027 at $6.5 million, he'll have a player option in 2028 valued at $7 million.

Luckily for the Padres, they have other arms that should be able to step up while Matsui isn't with the team. But having a reliable left-hander out of the bullpen can be an advantage for teams, so the hope is that he won't be out for too long.

One of these players who could see an increased role due to the injury to Matsui is right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez. Rodriguez has been turning heads in camp this year, and San Diego has very high hopes for him this season.

Kyle Hart, a left-hander, is also expected to make the Opening Day roster as a replacement for Matsui.

San Diego opens the new season on March 26 when they take on Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers in front of the Petco Park crowd.