The San Diego Padres need pitching. That’s the headline, the subhead, and the whole offseason mood. Dylan Cease is gone, Yu Darvish is out for the year, and the rotation math gets uncomfortable fast after Nick Pivetta, Micheal King, and tempered expectations around Joe Musgrove’s return. So of course, when AJ Cassavell drops a prospect check-in that includes the words “useful depth” and “midseason breakthrough,” fans immediately look for the nearest fast-forward button.
Here’s the thing: Cassavell’s back half is the important part — and it’s also the part that politely tells everyone to pump the brakes.