The San Diego Padres had a tumultuous season from their starting rotation, but there are a few different ways the front office can avoid a similar outcome in 2027.

The planned rotation ahead of 2026 didn't have many reason for doubt with Michael King, Nick Pivetta, Randy Vasquez, veteran Walker Buehler on a minor league contract and the presumed return of Joe Musgrove for the first time since October 2025.

King somehow exceeded expectations and delivered a career-high innings and bWAR while Vasquez had another solid season in his fourth year in the show, but that was about it for the rotation.

Pivetta missed nearly five months due to elbow complications, Buehler had a first-half ERA of 5.36 and Musgrove had countless setbacks that would bar him from making his season debut until the wild-card round.

Lucas Giolito was signed towards the end of April to address the pitching issues, but finished with a 5.16 ERA in seven outings before elbow inflammation shut him down for the remainder of the year.

Griffin Canning started the season late as he recovered from Achilles surgery, but finished the season with a 5.68 ERA in 30 appearances and 11 starts).

The starting pitchers totaled the fourth-fewest innings as a collective, putting immense pressure on a bullpen that continued to answer the call with the fifth-lowest ERA in MLB despite tossing the fourth-most innings of work.

With so much uncertainty regarding King and Pivetta's futures — both of whom are currently free agents on the open market — perhaps the Padres should seek talent outside of their organization and look to one that came within three games of winning the World Series.

Tampa Bay Rays All-Star right-hander Nick Martinez has been linked to the Padres, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

The 36-year-old tossed the most innings of his MLB career (180) last season and tied his lowest ERA (3.10) in nine North American seasons. The distinction is important because after his first four seasons in MLB as a member of the Texas Rangers, he played in Nippon Professional Baseball for four years before returning to the show in 2022.

The team that welcomed him back to US soil after his tenure in Japan was the Padres. Mostly in a bullpen role, Martinez was extremely effective on the Friars, totaling a 3.45 ERA in216.2 innings of work across those two seasons (19 starts).

Martinez should certainly be an option if King walks in free agency, but the only problem with potentially pairing them together is both will not be cheap.

According to Spotrac's market value projection, Martinez is slated to make over $21 million annually by way of a two-year $42.7 million deal.

Even if the rotation isn't the most cost-effective, the output must be better in 2027 to keep an elite bullpen fresh for October. If starters can even take that next step to relieve the relievers during the grind of the regular season, the outcome could prove to be franchise-altering.

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