Padres Won't Move Mason Miller to Rotation, Says Craig Stammen

Sep 26, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Mason Miller (22) celebrates during the eighth inning Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | David Frerker-Imagn Images

There's no question the San Diego Padres must address their rotation during the offseason.

Dylan Cease has already inked a multi-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. Michael King is no sure bet to return in free agency. Yu Darvish is projected to miss all of the 2026 season after recently having UCL brace surgery.

As it currently stands, the starting rotation features Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove (who's returning from Tommy John surgery), Randy Vasquez, and a whole lot of questions. Will someone emerge from a group featuring Kyle Hart, JP Sears, Matt Waldron, and Miguel Mendez?

More news: Padres Announce Broadcasters, How to Watch on TV in 2026

There's still plenty of things to work through for the front office. However, one thing we do know — courtesy of manager Craig Stammen at the Winter Meetings — is that Mason Miller will stay in the bullpen as opposed to becoming a starter himself.

Padres manager Craig Stammen said they’ll keep Mason Miller, Adrian Morejón & David Morgan in the bullpen rather than converting them to starters.

“It’s a risky proposition health-wise and performance-wise,” Stammen said.

So, the Padres are very much in the market for starters.

— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) December 8, 2025

There was an outside chance Miller could become a starter. He was famously acquired in July for a package including one of the best prospects in baseball (Leo De Vries). A wipeout reliever with as good of a repertoire as any reliever in the game, some believed Miller would eventually be a starter given what the Padres gave up for him.

More news: Padres Lose Dylan Cease in First Blockbuster Free Agent Signing of Offseason

However, the Padres are seemingly going to operate from a place of strength by keeping Miller presumably as the team's closer given that Robert Suarez has hit free agency. Miller's injury history caters to the notion that less is more from a workload standpoint.

Adrian Morejon has also been rumored to be a potential rotation option. Having said that, the Miller-Morejon tandem is easily one of the best from baseball, and is likely the best righty-lefty combination within any team's 'pen.

To fill out the rest of the rotation, the biggest decision revolves around King. It's uncertain what sort of deal he may get on the open market. Bringing him back into the fold would seemingly be a very wise decision.

If he leaves for a expensive contract elsewhere, the Padres may find themselves hunting in the bargain bin for a pitcher that can get the team innings at a fraction of the cost that Cease went for in Toronto.

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