The San Diego Padres are many things. They don’t have a particularly potent offense despite a remarkably high ceiling. Their starting rotation has plenty of question marks. But their bullpen is one of the most elite in all of MLB. Between high-leverage relievers like Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, and rookie flamethrower Bradgley Rodriguez, the San Diego ‘pen doesn’t have many faults. Even role players like Ron Marinaccio, Yuki Matsui, David Morgan, and Wandy Peralta would be some of the best pitchers on other teams. But with the Padres? Those four find themselves being used in low-leverage spots.
So that’s why the news that the Padres are searching for bullpen additions seems strange. It was surprising news for the Friar Faithful to hear. The offense has spent the first two months of the season displaying its tremendous inconsistency. The same is true for the starters. The bullpen seems like the last place the Friars would want to add, so why are they shopping around?
An Elite Relief Corps … Covering Up a Spotty Rotation
The answer might lie in that inconsistent rotation. The Padres haven’t gotten much from their starters. San Diego’s rotation owns a 4.60 ERA. That’s almost a full run above the team’s collective 3.86 ERA. That means the bullpen has pitched so well and over so many innings that they’ve lowered the team ERA by 0.74 runs. The ‘pen has covered a whopping 229 1/3 innings. That’s the second-most in MLB.
Entering play on Monday, the Friars have played 52 games. Assuming that all innings were pitched by the Padres, that would mean their pitching staff has covered a maximum of 468 innings. That means the bullpen has covered almost exactly half of every game, meaning San Diego starting pitchers are only covered four-plus innings on average.
With that in mind, it makes a little more sense why the Padres would be looking to acquire another bullpen piece. A deep relief corps shortens games tremendously. It makes it so that a game is basically over as long as the team has the lead when their starting pitcher exits. That’s been the case for the Friars for most of this season, and they’d like that to continue. Because of that, San Diego has been searching for additions to the bullpen. Below are the three names floating around the rumor mill, ranked in order of least to most likely.
Three Padres Bullpen Trade Additions Being Floated
3. Josh Hader (HOU)
Josh Hader has spent an abundance of time on the injured list with the Houston Astros. He’s been on the injured list since April with left biceps tendinitis. He’s been pitching in rehab and has done relatively well, though he likely won’t be ready to pitch in the big leagues until June.
The lefty has been elite for almost his entire career. Apart from three of his nine seasons in MLB, Hader has boasted an ERA under 3.00 to go with a career 2.64 ERA. He spent the end of 2022 and the 2023 season with the Padres before signing a five-year, $95 million contract with the Astros. He’s set to make $19 million a year until he becomes a free agent after the 2028 season.
The Padres have reportedly been exploring bullpen help and Josh Hader could be one name they are looking at if the Astros decide to sell, per @dennistlin & @Chandler_Rome:
“Hader, in the third year of a five-year, $95 million contract, has full no-trade protection, but the… pic.twitter.com/jHWZfVh7RK
— SleeperAstros (@SleeperAstros) May 21, 2026
That amount is too much for the Padres to spend on a reliever. It’s nice to have someone as elite as Hader on your roster for the next few seasons, but the concern is that he won’t be as good after returning from injury. If the Friars trade for Hader and he doesn’t perform, it could tie up payroll that would be better spent on a starting pitcher or big bat.
2. Aroldis Chapman (BOS)
The “Cuban Missile” has arguably been the most discussed name of the three. That’s more due to his pedigree as a dominant reliever than the likelihood of a trade. The Boston Red Sox are still operating as if they’re in contention despite being fifth in the American League East and eight games under .500. That means Aroldis Chapman will likely come with a costly price tag.
Padres reportedly have their eyes on Aroldis Chapman ahead of the MLB Trade deadline
If you got Mason Miller + Chapman lurking in the bullpen, might as well give up if you’re trailing 😭 pic.twitter.com/JJxYlZxh04
— Wild Card Sports (@wildcardnet) May 24, 2026
Beyond that, the left-hander would be a rental, becoming a free agent in 2027 despite a conditional mutual option. If Chapman pitches 40 innings in 2026, he will be owed $13 million in 2027 or be given a $300K buyout. But the idea is tantalizing. The flamethrower has long been one of the elite relievers in baseball. His addition to the Padres bullpen would truly be something.
1. Antonio Senzatela (COL)
Antonio Senzatela is the likeliest option, due to multiple factors. First and foremost is his team-friendly contract. Senzatela was signed to a five-year, $50.5 million extension in 2021 with the Colorado Rockies. That amount reflected his role as a starting pitcher at the time. Since then, he hasn’t performed well as a starter.
2026 is Senzatela’s first year in the bullpen, and he has blossomed into a high-leverage reliever. After never recording a season with an ERA under 3.00, Senzatela boasts a 1.13 ERA through 15 games. He’s been a bulk reliever for Colorado, pitching 32 innings in those 15 games. A reliever who can cover multiple innings would be a great addition to San Diego’s club.
Padres Interested In Antonio Senzatela https://t.co/pQZOY0C40w pic.twitter.com/kmYtvmzQ0b
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) May 25, 2026
Senzatela’s contract definitely works for the Friars. He has a $14 million club option for 2027 that San Diego could pick up should he pitch well through the remainder of the season. With the Padres likely losing Adam and Morejon to free agency in 2027, it would be nice to have some reliable options remaining in the ‘pen.
Main Photo Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
