Padres’ pitching dilemma may force a bet on baseball’s biggest bully

Time is running out for A.J. Preller to make a splash in the free-agent market before spring training, which kicks off in 27 days. If you want to get particular about it, we believe starting the pitching is still by far the weakest point of the roster.

Heading into free agency, it looked as if the Padres were going to lose both Dylan Cease and Michael King. The team was able to bring back King on a three-year, $75 million deal, but lost out on Cease.

As it stands, the Padres have Michael King, Nick Pivetta, and the pending return of Joe Musgrove. But there are still glaring holes in that rotation that need to be filled as soon as possible; if not, we don’t see a scenario where the Padres' offense can overcome lackluster starting pitching.

With options running low, the Padres could benefit by checking in on one former ace who has shown interest in playing for whichever team wants him.

Padres’ thin pitching plan quietly dares them to bet on Max Scherzer

He’s far past his prime, but his intensity and on-field demeanor remain the same. Max Scherzer in 2025 only pitched 85 innings with a 5.19 ERA, but his postseason with the Toronto Blue Jays was one to remember.

Headlined by an outing that featured 5.2 innings pitched and five strikeouts in Game 4 of the ALCS, Scherzer can come up clutch when a team needs it most.

Scherzer, 41, would serve as a mentor for not just young pitchers but to the team as a whole. With a new manager in Craig Stammen and a lot of areas of the roster that have seen change, it is important to get a veteran presence in the locker room.

Scherzer would provide just that, and it would be worthwhile for San Diego to take a look at him as a potential option.