Padres Contract Moves: Three Relievers Stay as Starting Rotation Shrinks
San Diego exercised Kyle Hart's option and retained Yuki Matsui and Wandy Peralta, while declining Nick Pivetta's option and losing Michael King to free agency.
By Amelia Gupta ·
The San Diego Padres will keep three key relievers on their roster for the 2027 season, securing their bullpen depth while their starting rotation loses two high-profile arms. The club confirmed on Saturday that it is retaining Kyle Hart, Yuki Matsui, and Wandy Peralta through contract options and opt-out decisions.
The Padres exercised Hart's player option for 2027, locking in his $2.5 million salary. The team also received notice from Matsui and Peralta that they will not opt out of their current deals. Matsui is scheduled to earn $6.5 million in 2027, with a subsequent opt-out opportunity before 2028 when his salary reaches $7 million. Peralta will collect $4.45 million in 2027, which marks the final year of his four-year contract.
Matsui's decision to stay stands out given his performance improvement in 2026. After posting a 3.86 ERA and allowing a .303 on-base percentage during his first two major league seasons, the 31-year-old lowered those figures to 1.83 and .288 last year. He pitched 64 innings across 54 games, taking on increasingly high-leverage situations. Peralta, 35, finished the season with a 3.61 ERA in 77 one-third innings, working almost exclusively in games where the Padres were trailing.
Hart, who turns 34 this month, posted a 4.92 ERA while serving primarily in long relief roles. However, he recorded a 3.60 ERA over 18 appearances and 25 innings during the Padres' late-season surge. The team is losing left-hander Adrian Morejón to free agency, a move that leaves the bullpen thinner than expected despite the retention of the three relievers.
The Padres declined starting pitcher Nick Pivetta's $14 million option for 2027 on Saturday. They also lost Michael King, who chose to opt out of his contract rather than accept $58 million over the next two seasons. King notified the team of his decision on Thursday. With these departures, the Padres face a busy free agency market in the month remaining before the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on December 1 and owners are expected to lock out players.
The only option decisions remaining before the Monday afternoon deadline involve mutual options for outfielder Miguel Andujar and pitchers Griffin Canning and Lucas Giolito. All three are expected to be declined, as the last mutual option picked up for any MLB player was in 2014. Players are free to sign with any team beginning at 2 p.m. PT Monday.
