Canning and Márquez Join the Starting Rotation Competition for the San Diego Padres

The front part of the Padres' starting rotation is established, and the candidates for the back-end are gradually coming into focus.

According to MLB's official website, the Padres have agreed today to sign right-handed pitchers Griffin Canning and Germán Márquez. These transactions are still awaiting official team confirmation and successful medical exams. Previously, the Padres also signed veteran slugger Nick Castellanos to strengthen their offense.

A torn left Achilles tendon abruptly ended Canning's 2025 season last June. Before that, he was enjoying the best season of his six-year career, starting 16 games for the Mets with a 3.77 ERA.

Márquez spent ten seasons with the Rockies but missed most of 2023 and 2024 due to Tommy John surgery. The 2025 season was his first full year post-surgery, making 26 starts with a 6.70 ERA.

Márquez will jump straight into the fierce competition for the back-end rotation spot. Canning will eventually join the battle as well, but his return from injury is uncertain and he may miss the start of the season.

The Rise of Canning

The 2025 season marked a remarkable turning point for Canning. Just one year ago, he was struggling with the Angels, appearing in 32 games (31 starts) with a 6-13 record and a 5.19 ERA. The Mets gave him a fresh opportunity.

Indeed, Canning completely revamped his arsenal in New York. He refined his slider and changeup, increasing their vertical movement and usage. He adopted a more "reverse" pitching approach, using off-speed pitches early to get ahead in the count and saving fastballs for later. His slider became his best swing-and-miss pitch with a 33.5% whiff rate, and his improved changeup limited opponents to a .196 batting average.

Although Canning allowed a high rate of hard contact—45.7%, better than only 11% of pitchers league-wide—he excelled at inducing ground balls, posting a career-high 51.6% ground ball rate.

Canning was a second-round draft pick by the Angels in 2017 and made his MLB debut at 22 two years later. Once a highly touted prospect, he posted a 4.78 ERA over five seasons with the Angels but never fully realized his potential before being traded.

Can Márquez Regain His Pre-2023 Form?

If he can return to form, the Padres will have a very intriguing piece for their starting rotation puzzle. Márquez's struggles in 2025 are clear, but pitching in pitcher-friendly San Diego and being two years removed from surgery could help him rebound.

The Padres know Márquez well, having faced him in the division for ten seasons. His 11 wins against San Diego far outnumber those against any other team.

Before surgery, Márquez was one of the most durable pitchers in the league, consistently completing his starts from 2017 to 2022. He was an All-Star in 2021 and posted a 4.67 ERA over ten seasons with the Rockies, pitching half his games in the hitter-friendly Coors Field.

At his peak, Márquez featured an excellent slider, effectively limiting hard contact and generating ground balls. Pitching coach Ruben Niebla will aim to revive that version of him.

Current Rotation Status

Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Joe Musgrove form the Padres' top three starters, with the remaining two rotation spots open for competition. Márquez, Randy Vásquez, Marco Gonzales, Triston McKenzie, JP Sears, and Matt Waldron are all vying for these positions.

Canning will join the competition once he recovers. He may miss the start of the 2026 season, but that could align well with the Padres' timeline.

Musgrove and King both have injury histories. Musgrove missed last season recovering from Tommy John surgery, and King only made 15 starts in 2025 due to nerve and knee issues.

Although Canning might miss the season opener, his arrival could come at a perfect time if the Padres face injury troubles or if the back-end candidates fail to prove themselves.

What's Next for the Padres?

Two days ago, General Manager A.J. Preller told reporters he hoped to strengthen both the starting pitching and add a hitter.

Both objectives have now been checked off.

Canning and Márquez bolster the starting rotation depth, while Castellanos fills a hole in the batting order (the team also signed Miguel Andújar earlier this week). The Padres' roster now appears well-rounded, with limited financial flexibility remaining.

So... is this the Padres' 2026 roster?

With Preller at the helm, there is always a risk of offseason moves being announced late. He has made significant changes late in spring training before. But at least this year, that may not be necessary. After today's moves, the Padres' roster looks quite complete.