Predicting the San Diego Padres' ideal October starting rotation

Padres fans can relax a bit. They clinched a spot in the postseason, which is a major sigh of relief. But now that this part is out of the way, it's time to start puzzle-piecing together how the Padres will look as a unit. Let's start out with the rotation. There's plenty of options, but when you actually break things down, it seems pretty simple as to who should be starting in the playoffs.

Padres' 2025 playoff starting rotation is easier to piece together than fans may think

1. Nick Pivetta

Nick Pivetta has earned his stripes in his first year with the Friars. Donning a 2.87 ERA in 181.2 innings, Pivetta has entered the Cy Young conversation. A WHIP under 1.000, Pivetta is as reliable as they come. He's gone seven innings in seven starts, and has logged 19 quality starts. It is tough disqualifying Pivetta as anything other than the ace of the postseason staff.

2. Michael King

Michael King is supposed to be the guy, right? His 2025 season has been highlighted by three stints to the injured list, but he's still found a way to post respectable numbers. He has an ERA in the mid-3.00 range, and he's looked decent in two of his three last starts to prove he isn't still hurting.

It's also impossible to overlook his postseason start in 2024 against the Braves, when he struck out 12 batters across seven scoreless innings. That prior prowess should earn him the ball in Game 2 at the minimum.

3. Dylan Cease

Yes, Dylan Cease has not been his typical self in 2025. Finishing second and fourth in the Cy Young race in two of the last three seasons, Cease has not carried that star status into 2025. But that's fine. He still posted 200-plus strikeouts this season, and he is capable of a dominant outing at any given time.

He's also dialed it back a bit in September. Calming Friars fans' nerves, he has a 3.43 ERA in his first four September starts. So, maybe Cease is ready to hold it down in the postseason after all.

4. Yu Darvish (if necessary)

Depending on how the rest of the rotation performs, Darvish may find himself in a role where he is the emergency pitcher to get a win. Like Cease, he hasn't been as good as prior seasons, but Darvish's postseason resume is very solid. In the NLDS last year, he had a 1.98 ERA in 13.2 innings against the Dodgers. He has the composure in the playoffs to hold things down if necessary. Who knows, San Diego may ride out a four-man rotation, and it wouldn't be a bad idea.

Now, let's not forget about Randy Vasquez. He's especially strong against right-handed hitting, but facing lefties unfortunately (and likely) takes him out of contention of a spot in the playoff rotation. He could make for a perfect long-distance guy out of the bullpen. But we can expect him to perhaps make a spot start if San Diego makes a deep run.

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