Jun 22, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla (left) talks to starting pitcher Michael King (center) and starting pitcher Dylan Cease (right) before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

mlb

Pitching wealth in San Diego: Who will be Padres’ opening day starter?

Dylan Cease, Michael King, or Yu Darvish?

The Padres have a good problem on their hands. When it comes to picking an Opening Day starter, they can’t really go wrong. With Michael King, Dylan Cease, and Yu Darvish all in the mix, manager Mike Shildt has options, strong ones.

“The good news is we have multiple choices. Everyone is like: ‘Is that a hard decision?’ No. It’s a hard decision to make. But it’s good to have that hard decision, because you have multiple guys that could be your No. 1 Opening Day guy,” Shildt said.

Padres have three solid choices

Cease was the first of the trio to take the mound in Cactus League play, though that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s the frontrunner for the Opening Day assignment. The right-hander tossed 43 pitches against the Reds on Saturday, allowing one earned run on two hits while recording two strikeouts and a walk.

Can’t go wrong with any of these starters on #OpeningDay 👀 pic.twitter.com/ZFrVXQvmPB
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 2, 2025

Meanwhile, Darvish worked in a simulated game against the White Sox earlier in the day. The 39-year-old gave up five hits, including a home run, but also struck out six without issuing a walk in three innings of work. Even at this stage of his career, Darvish continues to impress his teammates with his talent and consistency. If the Padres go with Darvish, it would be a historic choice – he would tie a franchise record with four Opening Day starts.

A good problem to have

The Padres haven’t committed to an Opening Day starter yet, but no matter who gets the nod, they’ll feel just as confident about their choices for Games 2 and 3. After spending years chasing reliable starting depth, San Diego has finally built a rotation that offers real stability. Even after making some key trades, they’ve got arms they can trust.

ALSO READ: Marcus Stroman falls short in first chance to step up after Luis Gil’s injury

So, will it be the rising star in Cease, the seasoned ace in Darvish, or the versatile King? The Padres can take their time with the decision, knowing they’ve got more than one right answer.

Dylan Cease

Michael King

Padres

Yu Darvish

Mohsin Baldiwala

mlb

Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.