The San Diego Padres swept the Chicago Cubs in two games in the Wild Card Series, punching their ticket to the NLDS! But let’s be real, even with their eyes locked on winning the club’s first World Series title right now, the offseason is already looming. And it’s looking like a busy, potentially terrifying winter for the Friars.
Their Pitching Staff is Bleeding Talent
Forget the celebration for a second. The hard truth is, a huge chunk of San Diego’s starting rotation is made up of impending free agents. The Padres are going to need to replace every single arm that doesn’t re-sign. Think about it: Robbie Ray and Casey Mize? They were brought in as rentals right before the trade deadline. Then you have Walker Buehler, who absolutely ate innings, logging over 150 of them, and he’s also a free agent. On top of all that, Michael King and Nick Pivetta can both opt out of their contracts and hit the open market. Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly isn’t pulling any punches here, and neither should we. That’s a lot of holes to fill, and it’s coming fast.
Shota Imanaga: A Fix or a Flaw?
So, with that pitching emergency on the horizon, it’s no shock that the Padres are already being linked to guys like Cubs starter Shota Imanaga. This lefty just finished his first career season with 30-plus starts in 2026. Remember him from his rookie year in 2024? He finished fifth in NL Cy Young Award voting, which is no small feat, and he accepted the qualifying offer from the Cubs last offseason.
But let’s dive into his 2026 numbers: solid, yeah, but not exactly eye-popping. He posted a 112 ERA+ with 174 strikeouts in 174 innings. That’s respectable, but there’s a big red flag: the home run ball. It’s been his Achilles’ heel, no doubt about it. Imanaga gave up a whopping 35 long balls across his 32 starts. Yikes. He just turned 33, too, so if the Padres go after him, they’re probably looking at a two- to three-year deal. If they’re not feeling reunions with Ray, Mize, or Buehler, then taking a shot on Imanaga isn’t the worst move. But that home run problem? That’s gotta keep their front office up at night.
The Padres are chasing a championship right now, but their general manager has a massive offseason puzzle to solve. Will Imanaga be the answer to their rotation woes, or just another question mark? It’s going to be a wild winter in the NL West. Oh, and speaking of wild, how about Mariners’ Josh Naylor joining Hall of Famer George Sisler with some rare stolen base MLB history? You love to see it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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