Padres Notes: Rotation, Campusano, Preller

"The Padres have made no secret of their desire to add another starter and one more complementary bat before Opening Day. President of baseball operations A.J. Preller reiterated those goals from Spring Training (link via AJ Cassavell of MLB.com). There are still a handful of free agent starters who could make an impact (e.g. , Lucas Giolito, Zack Littell, Griffin Canning). San Diego seems to be working with tight payroll restrictions, however. That could point to a reclamation candidate like Walker Buehler or Germán Márquez if they address that via free agency."

"Dennis Lin of The Athletic suggests the Padres could be more inclined to add a starter via trade. That's easier said than done at this stage of the calendar. All but a handful of teams are entering the season with some hope of contending. Pitching injuries will pile up as exhibition games get underway and there'll be fewer opportunities for those clubs to backfill the rotation if they trade a starter. Speculatively, there could be a match with the rebuilding Nationals for a cheap sixth starter like Mitchell Parker or - each of whom has been durable but pitched better in 2024 than they did a year ago. Andre Pallante falls into a similar category with the Cardinals. They're not especially exciting but have minor league options and a track record of taking a lot of innings."

The Padres prioritize adding another starting pitcher and a complementary bat before Opening Day. Several free-agent starters remain available, but San Diego appears constrained by payroll, making reclamation candidates like Walker Buehler or Germán Márquez plausible targets. Trade acquisition of a starter is possible but difficult because most teams enter the season hopeful of contending and will be reluctant to trade pitching depth. Potential low-cost rotation fits include cheap sixth-starter types from rebuilding clubs or back-end arms with options, but matching needs and salaries with teams like the Royals, Nationals, Cardinals, or Mets presents challenges.

Read at MLB Trade Rumors