Forget Tarik Skubal for a minute, because The Athletic’s Jim Bowden just put the San Diego Padres squarely on the radar for another All-Star lefty pitcher: Trevor Rogers. The Padres are staring down an offseason where getting some serious starting rotation depth isn’t just a goal, it’s a mission critical mandate for the squad.
Padres Need Arms, Big Time
Let’s be real, the Padres’ pitching staff is going to look a whole lot different next year, and not in a good way if they don’t act fast. Their undisputed ace, Michael King, is hopefully gonna opt in for the second year of his three-year, $75 million deal. They need him to. But after that? Yikes.
Robbie Ray and Casey Mize, two guys they grabbed at the trade deadline, are both headed to unrestricted free agency. And Walker Buehler? Yeah, he’s also hitting the UFA market. That’s a huge chunk of their rotation potentially walking out the door. It makes perfect sense why Bowden is pegging them as a top landing spot for an All-Star lefty, because they’ve got some serious holes to fill before the first pitch next season.
Trevor Rogers: The Highs, The Lows, And That Price Tag
So, enter Trevor Rogers, the lefty All-Star from the Baltimore Orioles. Bowden is projecting a three-year, $64 million contract this offseason for the guy, and it’s easy to see why teams are looking at him, even after a bit of an up and down year. He finally stayed healthy for a full season, making 30 starts for the Orioles. He posted a 4.03 ERA over 169 2/3 innings, racking up 157 strikeouts. Solid numbers for a full, healthy season, right?
But here’s the kicker: the year before that, Rogers was absolutely dealing. He put up a ridiculous 1.81 ERA across 18 starts and 109 2/3 innings! That’s the kind of performance that makes you an All-Star and puts you on every team’s radar. The flip side is he’s struggled with injuries throughout his career. That’s a big part of the “up and down” story. Bowden himself said, “if teams believe he is healthy, he’s one of the better non-Skubal left-handed starters available this winter.” He might not be at Tarik Skubal’s dominance level, but Rogers has shown he can totally lead a rotation for weeks at a time. Maybe that’s exactly what the Padres need alongside King to hold things down.
It’s not just the Padres in the hunt, though. The Orioles themselves, plus the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago White Sox are also listed by Bowden as the best team fits. This is going to be a real battle for his signature.
The Padres might still try to land Skubal, sure, but Rogers could be the smart, impactful move they make. Finding that right arm, one that can slot in and immediately contribute, is everything for their chances. This offseason is gonna be wild, and landing a guy like Rogers could seriously anchor their rotation for years to come. The hunt for pitching is ON.
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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