Internal and external options for the San Diego Padres 2020 rotation

We take a look at the potential starting rotation for the San Diego Padres heading into the 2020 season.

The 2019 San Diego Padres starting rotation finished the season as the youngest rotation in baseball. They had a 4.87 group ERA and were the 23rd ranked rotation in MLB.

After surprising all of the baseball world by breaking spring training with both Chris Paddack and Nick Margevicius among the starters, they also surprised their fan base by achieving early success and beginning the season with a strong first month.

Then the league caught up and their youth and inexperience began to show.

With both Matt Strahm and Paddack on pitch limits, it was inevitable that a second-half swoon would occur.

Even with veteran Garrett Richards joining the rotation for eight innings at the very end of the year, the Padres had no other starter over the age of 27.

Joey Lucchesi and Eric Lauer were second-year starters and Dinelson Lamet returned in July from Tommy John surgery to pitch 73 inconsistent innings.

Several minor leaguers were promoted for spot starts as well as several games denoted as “bullpen” games that failed to provide any consistency — or much success.

When the offseason officially began, the ownership team voiced their disappointment with the effort of the team, especially the second-half effort.

Of the many improvements needed to become the winning team that San Diego has been promised, starting pitching is the first priority.

After watching the playoffs and World Series, it has become abundantly clear that championship teams must have excellent starting pitching to carry them through.

Filling in with bullpen arms was not a successful formula for any of the playoff organizations (see the Houston Astros).

The following is a review of who is available in the Padres system as well as some prominent free agent or trade targets for the coming 2020 season.