Padres Seen as Fit for Trevor Rogers in Free Agency

The Padres may need a significant addition to their starting rotation this offseason after a difficult 2026 season and several changes expected before 2027. San Diego starters recorded the fourth-fewest innings in baseball and had a 4.42 ERA, the 10th-highest in the majors. The bullpen handled the fourth-most innings and posted the fifth-lowest ERA, but struggled in the postseason after its heavy regular-season workload.

The rotation faces further uncertainty. Michael King opted out of the final two years of his contract, while the Padres declined Nick Pivetta’s team option. Joe Musgrove, who missed most of 2026, did not return until the postseason. Reliever Adrian Morejon is also rumored to be seeking a major deal elsewhere.

Rogers, a left-hander with Baltimore, is being considered a possible match for San Diego on a projected three-year, $64 million contract. He turns 29 this month and pitched a career-high 169 2/3 innings in 2026, finishing with a 4.03 ERA.

His season ended strongly: over his final 13 starts, Rogers struck out 88 batters and issued eight walks. He also recorded the best strikeout-to-walk ratio of his career, though his ERA+ was only 1% above league average. His chase rate and walk rate ranked in the 92nd percentile, improving from the 72nd and 69th percentiles, respectively, in 2025.

If Rogers sustains those improvements and continues to provide innings, he could address a clear need for the Padres as they reshape their rotation for 2027.