SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Yuki Matsui #1 of the San Diego Padres pitches in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on October 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) Getty
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Bradgley Rodriguez #72 of the San Diego Padres celebrates in the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on October 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) Getty
The San Diego Padres have confirmed that three left-handed relievers will return for 2027, preserving a familiar group while their bullpen takes shape. Yuki Matsui and Wandy Peralta exercised their player options, and San Diego picked up Kyle Hart's club option. Sportsnet's updated report details the team's announcement.
Their listed salaries total $13.45 million next season: $6.5 million for Matsui, $4.45 million for Peralta and $2.5 million for Hart. Those figures represent the three existing options, not a new free-agent spending package. It also gives the front office known salary commitments before it evaluates additional relievers through trades or free agency.
The returning pitchers combined for 205.1 innings in 2026. Keeping that workload provides continuity, but the Padres still need to determine how their most important relief assignments will fit together. That distinction matters with Adrián Morejón and Jason Adam entering free agency. San Diego has retained depth while leaving room for its bullpen hierarchy to develop.
GettyYuki Matsui of the San Diego Padres pitches during Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park in San Diego on October 6, 2026. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Matsui supplied the best run prevention of the three returning left-handers. He finished with a 1.83 ERA, 68 strikeouts and a 1.14 WHIP across 64 regular-season innings. His postseason record adds another encouraging detail: five appearances without allowing an earned run. That performance strengthens the case for considering him in more demanding situations.
Peralta offers experience and workload coverage. He posted a 3.61 ERA across 77.1 innings and 65 appearances in 2026, while his return preserves another multi-inning option. Peralta also topped 70 innings in 2025, giving San Diego consecutive seasons of substantial workload from the veteran left-hander.
Hart filled several assignments, recording a 4.92 ERA and 59 strikeouts over 64 innings. Baseball Savant lists four starts among his 46 appearances. Their different results and workloads explain why keeping all three is useful. The Padres can evaluate matchups and availability without asking every returning left-hander to perform the same job.
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GettyBradgley Rodriguez of the San Diego Padres celebrates during Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park in San Diego on October 6, 2026. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
The most interesting development involves the pitchers who could work closest to closer Mason Miller. MLB.com's AJ Cassavell identifies Bradgley Rodriguez as the setup favorite, with David Morgan among the middle-inning options. That is a projected role, rather than an announced assignment for next season.
Rodriguez's performance provides a strong foundation for that possibility. His 2026 statistics show a 2.19 ERA, 81 strikeouts and 20 walks across 74 innings. That combination of strikeouts and limited walks gives the Padres measurable reasons to consider him for more important outs.
He also limited left-handed hitters to a .190 batting average, compared with .237 against right-handers. Those results give San Diego another way to evaluate difficult matchups beyond the handedness of its returning pitchers. The three option decisions therefore establish several pieces of the next bullpen without completing it. Rodríguez's potential progression, Matsui's effectiveness, and the middle-inning depth give the Padres different paths to consider. The next additions should address the remaining responsibilities, while preserving the flexibility these returning pitchers provide.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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