The Padres have selected the contract of righty Phil Maton from Triple-A El Paso. To clear roster space, they’ve optioned righty Kevin Quackenbush to El Paso and designated righty Jake Esch for assignment.
[Related: Updated San Diego Padres Depth Chart]
The 24-year-old Maton had an impressive 2.84 ERA, 11.0 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 over 25 1/3 innings of relief in the tough pitching environment of El Paso and has generally dominated the minor leagues since the Padres selected him in the 20th round of the 2015 draft, posting a 1.89 career pro ERA. Padres manager Andy Green chalks some of Maton’s success up to a high spin rate and also a release point that’s closer to home than most pitchers, as Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets.
The Padres added the 27-year-old Esch on a waiver claim late in Spring Training. He had been a starter in the Marlins system who looked like a potential back-of-the-rotation pitcher in the big leagues. He has pitched sparingly in 2017 due in part to injury, making one appearance in the big leagues and three in the minors.
Padres have some interesting decisions to make. When Margot comes back do we keep Cordero and move him to LF or move Margot to LF? And when do we call up Christian Villanueva and give him a shot at 3rd?
I hope they call up Villanueva. He was a former top prospect for the Cubs and deserves a shot at the majors. They could platoon him with Spangenberg.
Just my opinion, but Margot will be back in CF when he returns, Cordero willl be returned to AAA and until Solarte is dealt, Villanueva will not be seeing the Majors. Come September, we could see a very young Padre team on the field though.
I could see Margot being sent to El Paso for a rehab assignment to also gain another year of control. I think he needs to be down there like 3 weeks or so to get that extra year. Here’s a good reason to do it
Mildly upset about this for the sole reason that I will never have the chance to make “Esch-a-sketch” puns.
Thats a good one.
Is it just me, or does it feel like there have been a lot of DFA’s lately?
Well timing is everything
Dfa them and maybe they can keep the young arm
This guy will probably keep a bullpen spot once Hand and/or Maurer is traded.
Do you really think Maurer has any value? Why would any major league team want him?
100 MPH fastball is always intriguing. I don’t get to see many Padres games on the east coast, is he really that bad? I keep seeing him rack up the saves on a team that is not winning many games and only blowing up in games that are not save opps.
He gets hit hard more times than he succeeds
I’m sure major league teams evaluate his skills (velocity, FIP).
Yay! Spangenberg hit two homers today!