Could Padres fill out rotation by signing Dodgers postseason hero?

The San Diego Padres are a team that should be very busy this offseason. They have plenty of players that have hit free agency and may not be back in 2025.

One area that they could look to add to is their starting rotation. They already have Michael King, Joe Musgrove, Dylan Cease and Yu Darvish, but they could always add to that group and make it even stronger.

Matt Synder of CBS Sports lists Walker Buehler as a possible fit for the Friars as free agency starts to heat up.

"Buehler is coming off a terrible regular season and could be had on a one-year, incentive-laden deal."

Buehler went 1-6 in 16 starts during the regular season, posting a 5.38 ERA and even landing back on the injured list with a hip issue after returning from his second Tommy John surgery.

However, he turned things around in the postseason. After allowing six runs over five innings to the Padres in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, Buehler got a chance at redemption and rolled with it.

The 30-year-old right-hander had scoreless outings in the NLCS and World Series and even recorded the final three outs of the clinching Game 5 against the New York Yankees.

Signing the veteran righty would also be a way for the Padres to stick it to the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers after falling short in a five-game NLDS to them. 

The Padres also finished just five games back of the Dodgers in the NL West and had to settle for the top Wild Card spot. But if Buehler can remain healthy and replicate his postseason success, he could be a logical target for the Friars.

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