The Padres and left-hander Marco Gonzales have agreed to a minor league deal with an invite to major league spring training, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. The CAA Sports client will make a salary of $1.5MM if he makes the team with an extra $1MM available via incentives.
Gonzales, 34 in February, spent many years as a solid mid-rotation starter in the majors but is coming off a few injury-marred seasons. From 2018 to 2022, he gave the Mariners 765 2/3 innings, allowing 3.94 earned runs per nine. His 17.7% strikeout rate was subpar but he also only gave out walks at a 5.8% clip.
In 2023, nerve issues in his forearm limited him to just ten starts. He required surgery in August of that year. Going into 2024, he was included in the Jarred Kelenic trade with Atlanta, seemingly as financial ballast. He was traded to Pittsburgh a few days later. Due to further forearm strains, he went on and off the injured list and only made seven starts for the Bucs that year. He underwent flexor tendon surgery that August.
The Pirates made the easy decision to turn down his $15MM club option for 2025 since he was looking at a lengthy surgery recovery. He didn’t sign anywhere else and didn’t pitch in any official capacity last year.
It’s anyone’s guess what he can provide after three straight issues more or less tanked by forearm problems. For the Padres, he’s a sensible flier to take as they certainly need pitching. Right now, their on-paper rotation is fronted by Michael King, Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove. There’s not a ton of certainty in there. King was injured for a lot of 2025. Pivetta has been in trade rumors. Musgrove missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Behind those top three, there are guys like Randy Vásquez, JP Sears, Kyle Hurt and Matt Waldron. Vásquez had a 3.84 ERA last year but that seems unsustainable since he only struck out 13.7% of batters faced. The other three all posted ERAs above 5.00 in 2025.
It’s unclear how much spending capacity the Padres have at this stage of the winter. RosterResource currently projects them for a $220MM payroll and $262MM competitive balance tax figure. At the end of 2025, those numbers were $214MM and $266MM.
If the budget is tight, that could explain why the Friars are open to moving Pivetta and his backloaded contract. He made a $3MM signing bonus and $1MM salary last year but his salary jumps to $19MM, $14MM and $18MM in the next three seasons, with an opt-out after 2026. Flipping him would save some money but further thin out the rotation.
Gonzales is hard to bank on after his injury odyssey but he would be nice value for money if he can return to something resembling his prior form. He will join Triston McKenzie as non-roster arms pushing for big league jobs with the Padres this year.
Photo courtesy of Rafael Suanes, Imagn Images
What??
I was just surprised to see he was only out of baseball for a year. I feel like he hadn’t pitched since ages ago.
I really liked the competitor Marco was when he was with the Mariners. Liked his fight. His stuff is a little Jamie Moyerish….
What happened to this dude? Wishing him well.
Injury I believe
Vision quest
Nice if depth, not so nice if the fifth starter
Probably a wise move. He could be decent if the need arises.
Go get ’em Marco!!
I kept wondering if he would sign somewhere this offseason glad to see he did.
I remember when this guy beat Kershaw twice in the 2014 NLDS as a middle-relief guy… not that beating Kershaw in the playoffs is that difficult.
Loved him in seattle, held it down why they waited for all the talent to come up. 6 walks the whole covid season. But retire dude. Not getting any outs with that 85
Raised in Ft. Collins Co. and drafted by the Rockies in 2010. Wonder if the Rockies were interested in having him come home?
Padres need depth! They got some.
Congrats to Marco. Glad to see him back with an organization. Would have loved to see a reunion with the M’s on a minor league deal but understand why Dipoto and Hollander didn’t go there.
Was good 5th starter with Pirates until he got hurt and that’s what it comes down to. No harm in having him as depth if your AAA has the spot available.
A+ move on the Padres part
Interesting depth option. Would probably shock the world if he broke camp with the Padres
Kyle Hart, not Hurt