Padres’ Ideal Free-Agent Target Nathan Eovaldi Likely to Face Strong Competition
The San Diego Padres have recently been buoyed by the news of Roki Sasaki’s potential arrival in MLB by 2025. While many experts expect the 23-year-old Japanese star to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Padres are becoming an increasingly plausible destination for the talented right-hander.
However, signing Sasaki still carries some risk, as he has never pitched in the U.S. despite his impressive performance in the World Baseball Classic. With Joe Musgrove set to miss the upcoming season, the Padres will need at least one, if not two, additional starting pitchers to complement Yu Darvish, Michael King, and Dylan Cease.
One of the Padres’ best targets this offseason could be Nathan Eovaldi. While there have been reports linking San Diego to pitchers like Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell, Eovaldi is a better fit for the Padres’ payroll structure. That said, the Padres won’t be the only team pursuing the veteran right-hander.
Eovaldi: A Perfect Fit for San Diego’s Rotation
Eovaldi recently opted out of his $20 million player option with the Texas Rangers for 2025, a surprising decision given that he didn’t have his best season in 2024. Still, it signals how strong the free-agent market could be this winter. Eovaldi posted a 12-8 record with a 3.80 ERA in 29 starts last year.
The 33-year-old has surpassed 100 innings pitched in each of the last four seasons, showcasing his durability. Over those 106 starts, he has a 3.76 ERA and 114 ERA+, numbers that closely mirror the production the Padres have gotten from Musgrove in recent years. Given those similarities, Eovaldi could be the ideal addition to fill San Diego’s rotation void.
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