San Diego Padres: Breaking Down the Starting Rotation
By Ben Fadden
After the signing of Manny Machado to fill the third base void, the biggest question heading into San Diego Padres camp was who would be in the starting rotation. It will be MLB’s most inexperienced rotation.
FYI: Andy Green has only officially announced three starters, so I projected the final two spots.
Before Spring Training games began, San Diego Padres manager Andy Green went in without a plan for who would be the Opening Day starter against the San Francisco Giants. There were so many options at his dispense that it was the best decision for the organization to have every pitcher know that almost every spot was open in the rotation.
Soon enough pitchers were sent across the hall to minor league camp because there just was not going to be enough innings to spread around in Cactus League games and eventually in San Diego.
Last season, the starting rotation for San Diego consisted of Clayton Richard, Joey Lucchesi, Tyson Ross, Eric Lauer, and Bryan Mitchell.
Who?
The Padres traded their 2018 Opening Day Starter Clayton Richard to the Blue Jays; Tyson Ross was traded to St. Louis at the Trade Deadline, and Bryan Mitchell has struggled so far in spring, so Andy Green took him out of the rotation race a while ago.
The 2019 season is going to be a season that will have a mix of rookies and second-year arms in the rotation to see who the Padres can rely on down the road when they are contending for the postseason starting in 2020.
Garrett Richards signed a two-year deal with the Friars this off-season but is rehabbing from another Tommy John surgery. He is not expected to be back this season so the Padres will be paying him $15 million to pitch in 2020 assuming everything goes well.
Here are the five starters Andy Green will be going with on Opening Day…