Padres sign LHP Kyle Hart after KBO success

The San Diego Padres have signed left-handed pitcher Kyle Hart to a one-year, $1 million contract that includes a club option for 2026, potentially worth up to $7.5 million based on performance escalators. Hart, 32, is coming off a successful season in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) where he won the Choi Dong-won Award after leading the league with 182 strikeouts, posting a 2.69 ERA and a 13-3 record in 26 starts. This marks Hart's return to Major League Baseball after a brief stint with the Boston Red Sox in 2020, where he struggled with a 15.55 ERA in four appearances. The Padres are bolstering their pitching staff, having also signed right-hander Nick Pivetta to a four-year deal just days earlier. Hart will compete for a spot in the starting rotation alongside other pitchers this spring. His addition reflects the team's need for depth in the pitching lineup as they prepare for the upcoming season.