Padres' QO exits for King, Cease leave 1 internal rotation gamble impossible to ignore

It's been a harsh reality for Padres fans knowing that Dylan Cease and Michael King were alwars going to decline their qualifying offers. Both right-handed starters are going to sniff out long-term deals in the $100 million range this offseason, so there is a chance that San Diego winds up not retaining either pitcher.

What's going to happen to this starting rotation if both Cease and King don't return for the 2026 season? The rotation isn't the only point of concern for the Friars this offseason, as they will look to bolster a bullpen that will be without Robert Suarez, and potentially Jason Adam for some time. The bullpen needs some sprucing up, all while San Diego will look to upgrade at first base, too.

This leaves the starting rotation in a tough spot. So, if Preller is unable to keep Cease and/or King, the team may need to rely a bit more on a recent re-signing than they had hoped. Kyle Hart isn't the club's first option to crack the starting rotation, but they may have no choice but to give him another shot.

Padres may have to reluctantly depend on Kyle Hart as a starting pitcher in 2026

Hart made his return to the majors this past season after being out of the league since 2020. His overall numbers weren't exceptional, logging a 5.86 ERA and 73 ERA+. But, he still managed to provide some promising metrics.

He appeared in 20 total games, including six starts. In those 20 outings, he had a solid 1.186 WHIP. Hart was superb against left-handed batters, as they hit .189 against him with just one home run. Hart was also very strong at home. In 11 appearances at Petco Park, Hart's batting average against was .169 with an 18/3 K/BB ratio.

Hart proved to be a better reliever than a starter, but the Padres may have no choice but to hope that he can develop into a more reliable starting pitcher. They can always play to Hart's strengths and try and set him up for starts at home. But, he'll need to be more sound on the road, too if San Diego is put in a position where they have to rely on Hart.