Hold up, Seattle. While everyone’s obsessing over what the big boys like the Padres are doing this offseason, did you catch the news about *our* Mariners? Because a manager candidate for our very own T-Mobile Park squad just straight-up backed out of the running for the M’s gig, and get this, he did it to take a “lesser job” with the Phillies. You gotta wonder what’s going on behind the scenes when a potential leader for our team makes a move like that, especially when the whole league is in full-blown offseason scramble mode. It tells you everything about the pressure and the hustle right now.
San Diego’s Rotation Is a Major League Problem
Speaking of hustle, the San Diego Padres are in absolute chaos when it comes to their starting pitching. After falling short in the postseason, their front office is apparently going all-in on the free-agent and trade markets for arms. Seriously, it’s a mess down there. Michael King could opt out of the final two years of his deal, and both Casey Mize and Robbie Ray, who they picked up midseason, are about to hit free agency. Plus, Nick Pivetta can test the free agency waters too if he wants. That’s a lot of potential holes to fill.
It gets worse, though. FanSided’s Zachary Rotman didn’t pull any punches, writing, “The Padres’ rotation is now headlined by Joe Musgrove, who has not pitched in a regular season game since 2024, and Randy Vasquez, who is a back-end starter at best. That, obviously, is not good enough for a team trying to compete.” I mean, come on. Musgrove hasn’t thrown a regular season pitch since ’24?! And a “back-end starter at best” leading the charge? That’s not the kind of competition we like to see in the NL West, even if it’s for another squad.
The Chase for Skubal, and What It Means for King
Here’s where it gets really interesting for San Diego. Losing King would be a massive blow, even with all their other rotation issues. The dude had *two* terrific starts in this year’s postseason, allowing just one earned run in two separate seven-inning outings against both the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers. That’s clutch stuff right there.
Now, the big question is whether the Padres will go after the top arm available: two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. If they decide to target Skubal over King, that could actually send King, a former New York Yankee, to another organization where he could become an ace. Imagine that! The Padres have to address that rotation, no matter which way they go. It’s a high-stakes game for every team trying to position themselves, including us in the Emerald City, even if we’re just watching the chaos unfold around the league right now. You know our front office is keeping tabs on every move, too.
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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