Kyle Hart: Everything you need to know

Hart has impressed this spring, but manager Craig Stammen said Sunday that the hurler's role is "TBD," per 97.3 The Fan. Hart has thrown the third-most innings (11.2) this spring among San Diego pitchers, and he's yet to give up a run while allowing seven hits and posting a 13:3 K:BB. Stammen acknowledge Hart's excellent performance in exhibition play and called the southpaw a "lefty weapon" while describing his regular-season role as up in the air. All six of Hart's outings this spring have come in relief, however, and Stammen emphasized Hart's effectiveness "being able to come in after a starter and kind of shut the game down and then get it to the back end," so the current lean is probably toward Hart initially taking on a bullpen role while serving as starting depth for a rotation that has yet to be fully determined.

The Padres re-signed Hart to a one-year, $1 million contract with a $2.5 million club option for 2027 on Monday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports. The Padres declined Hart's $5 million club option for 2026 earlier this month, but they've now brought him back at a lesser rate. Hart split his time between the majors and minors in 2025, finishing with a 5.86 ERA and 37:13 K:BB over 43 regular-season innings covering six starts and 14 relief outings with the big club. The southpaw will compete for an Opening Day roster spot -- perhaps in a swingman role -- but does have minor-league options remaining.

The Padres declined Hart's $5 million club option for 2026 on Tuesday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Hart pitched in the majors for the first time in five years in 2025, though he accumulated a 5.86 ERA and 1.19 WHIP across 43 regular-season innings. His poor performance made it easy for San Diego to decline giving the 32-year-old a $4 million raise, so he'll instead receive a $500,000 buyout and look to free agency for his next opportunity.