The search for 2017 rotation options began in all sincerity when the Padres turned to the likes of Jarred Cosart, Paul Clemens and Clayton Richard upon shipping James Shields and Andrew Cashner out of town over the summer.

So Colin Rea’s on-again, off-again, on-again elbow reconstruction doesn’t change A.J. Preller’s marching orders. It is merely a reminder of how diligent the front office will have to be as it collects arms this winter.

“Obviously, we’re looking at starters from a couple of different pools,” Padres manager Andy Green said Sunday at Padres Pedal the Cause. “You look at the minor league free agents – are there guys that fit? We’ve got the Rule 5 coming up and we’ve got the major league portion of free agents that we’re looking at; the Clayton Richards that fit with the guys we’re looking at.

“We’re going to have to find some quantity and find out where the quality comes from.”


The offseason, to date, has subtracted more options than it has added.

Rea’s and Erik Johnson’s Tommy John procedures backdated their targeted returns to 2018, while Tyson Ross’ October shoulder surgery leaves him far from a lock for the opening day roster, leaving Luis Perdomo and Christian Friedrich as the most dependable options.

That’s right: A Rule 5 pick and a cast-off.

A year later, the Padres are sifting through the same discount barrels in their search for rotation hopefuls to line up next to Cosart, Clemens, the rehabbing Cesar Vargas (elbow) and a thin class of upper-level minor leaguers headlined by Walker Lockett and Dinelson Lamet.


The 33-year-old Richard remains a good bet to re-sign after posting baseball’s best groundball rate (65.1 percent) among starters with at least 50 innings, with the Padres presumably getting a leg up this offseason after offering the left-hander an opportunity upon his release from the Cubs last summer.

While the search for comparable competition – low-cost, reasonable upside for a rebuilding team – could lead Preller in a number of directions, Rea’s rescheduled surgery could force the Padres to reconsider another option: Brad Hand.

Whereas Brandon Maurer fizzled in his rotation conversion last spring, the 26-year-old Hand started as recently as 2015, threw as many as 111 innings in the majors in 2014 and regularly recorded more than three outs in his first year in San Diego.

Then there’s this.


Throwing his slider more often than he ever had (30.7 percent in 2016, up from 8.9 percent in 2015 and not at all before that, according to brooksbaseball.net) is one reason Hand – a second-round pick in 2008 – looked like an entirely different pitcher in San Diego.

Improved fastball command also played a role in Hand posting the best ERA (2.92), strikeout rate (11.2 per nine innings), hit rate (6.3 per nine innings) and WHIP (1.11) and of his career, although Green is quick to note that his splits might reveal a different pitcher if used in a rotation.

Never more effective against left-handers (.124 AVG/.221 OBP/.200 SLG), right-handed hitters fared far better (.236/.310/.379) against Hand a year ago.

How that might translate into a starter’s role figures to be as much a part of the conversation as Hand’s place in a bullpen that emerged as a strength even after trading away Fernando Rodney.


Much of it, too, could depend on what Preller’s search unearths this winter.

“I think we saw how powerful pens impact the games in the postseason this year,” Green said. “There’s very few guys who can take the ball in over half the games and not experience any arm issues whatsoever, feel great all season and want the ball every day. That’s incredibly valuable to have in a bullpen.

“You have to ask if that’s more valuable than a starter’s role.”

NOTABLE

Petco Park will host its second-round World Baseball Classic games March 14-19. Ticket strips – which include all games at Petco Park – will be available at www.worldbaseballclassic.com beginning Thursday. Tickets for the championship round at Dodger Stadium will go on sale at a later date.

RELATED

Including taxes, the Padres have spent $80 million and counting on amateur talent this offseason. The fruit of that push gathered for the first time during the Padres Instructional League in Peoria, Ariz., and will play in the Padres Futures Game at


jeff.sanders@sduniontribune.com; Twitter: @sdutSanders