MLB Rumors: 6 Names Linked to Padres as They Hunt a Starting Pitcher

January 12, 2026
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito pitches during 2025 game.

The San Diego Padres aren’t done building their rotation, but they’re also not rushing. 

Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that San Diego is still hoping to add another starter before Opening Day, even after already shoring up the group earlier this winter. 

The Padres are telling multiple agents they “are not yet ready to move” on the pitching market, a message that screams leverage play as the calendar inches toward spring.

Why the Padres are waiting on a starter

One reason the Padres can afford to slow-play this is optionality. If the market tightens and prices soften later in the winter, San Diego could pounce the same way clubs often do when pitchers start prioritizing fit and opportunity over holding out for the perfect number. 

It also helps that the Padres can sell a big role, a competitive environment, and a pitcher friendly plan for bounce-back candidates trying to rebuild value without getting buried on a depth chart.

Two free agent options could be Lucas Giolito or Chris Bassitt. Other names include Zac Gallen, Walker Buehler, Erick Fedde, and Jordan Montgomery.

Nick Pivetta trade buzz could be the domino

The other possibility is money management, because adding a legitimate mid-rotation arm typically isn’t cheap. 

The Athletic note suggests the Padres could be trying to clear payroll first, and Nick Pivetta’s name fits that puzzle if San Diego decides to move his contract to open room for another starter who would be a bit cheaper.

Pivetta signed a four-year, $55 million deal with the Padres last February, and his contract is backloaded with $19 million due in 2026. 

Photo Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

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