Padres acquire pitcher Griffin Canning and outfielder Nick Castellanos

Nick Castellanos (D. Benjamin Miller, Wikimedia Commons)

The San Diego Padres have made two significant free agent signings prior to spring training. According to Rogers Sportsnet, they have signed pitcher Griffin Canning of Mission Viejo, California to a one-year contract worth $1 million and outfielder Nick Castellanos of Hialeah, Florida, to a one-year contract worth $780,000.

Canning is joining his third Major League Baseball franchise after five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels and one season with the New York Mets. In 2025 in the Big Apple, Canning had a record of seven wins and three losses with an earned run average of 3.77. During 16 games and 76 1/3 innings pitched, Canning gave up 70 hits, 32 earned runs, eight home runs and 35 walks, to go along with 70 strikeouts and a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.38.

The Padres should be a little concerned however that Canning is only two seasons removed from a terrible 2024 season with the Angels. That season he led the American League with 99 home runs allowed and an awful ERA of 5.19.

Castellanos is joining his fifth MLB team after seven seasons with the Detroit Tigers (2013 to 2019), one season with the Chicago Cubs (2019), two seasons with the Cincinnati Reds (2020 and 2021), and four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies (2022 too 2025).

The two-time All-Star (2021 with the Reds and 2023 with the Phillies), batted .250 this past season with 17 home runs and 72 runs batted in. During 147 games, 547 at bats and 589 plate appearances in 2025, Castellanos scored 72 runs and had 137 doubles, two triples, four stolen bases, 32 walks, 219 total bases, six sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .294, and a slugging percentage of .400.