The Padres have inked righty Tom Wilhelmsen to a minors deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). He’ll receive an invitation to participate in MLB camp. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that Wilhelmsen will earn a $900K base salary if he makes the roster.
Once an anchor of the Mariners bullpen, Wilhelmsen hit a rough patch upon moving to the Rangers in 2016. While he rebounded somewhat in the second half of that campaign when he returned to Seattle, the veteran settled for a minor-league deal with the Diamondbacks this time last year.
Wilhelmsen, now 34, earned a job in Spring Training and opened the 2017 season as a part of the D-Backs’ relief corps. Things didn’t go quite as hoped, though, as he struggled to a 4.44 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 over 26 1/3 innings. While he maintained a mid-nineties heater and induced grounders on about half of the balls put in play against him, Wilhelmsen carried a 6.2% swinging-strike rate that fell well shy of his 10.6% career average.
Ultimately, the Diamondbacks cut ties with Wilhelmsen in the middle of the year. He caught on with the Brewers but was unable to earn his way back to the majors. Now, Wilhelmsen will try to crack the Friars’ pen in camp. It looks like that will represent an uphill battle, as he’ll need to beat out a veteran pitcher such as Jordan Lyles and also hold off some of the organization’s younger options.
Anyone actually surprised the White Sox didn’t grab him given their fascination with anyone with any remote closing experience?
This is what I call a no risk no reward type of signing
You’re what I call an idiot
Sat behind this guy’s family at a Sox/Mariners game at Fenway. They were some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, so I found myself pulling for him the rest of the season. Turned out he would become the closer for a little while that season and got 29 saves. Hope he finds success in SD!
That’s a great story , thanks for sharing
The immortal Tom Wilhelmsen. I like this signing. Sign him to a minor league contract so the other teams aren’t on to how good he really is. Sneaky. The hot stove is heating up!
Stove’s a cookin’ boys!
stove is chillin in the fridge, the doors closed, the lights out, the eggs are cooling, the butters getting hard, and the jellos jiggling.
Meanwhile sarcasm awareness is left outside in the cold, lost, and alone.
I met Tom at Mariners spring training several years ago. Great guy, very personable. He remembered me several days later when I ran into him at a team function, and again midway thru the season at a signing. He was in his prime then. Good luck in SD, Bartender!
Maybe Balsley can help him rediscover some of his old stuff.
No risk only reward type signing for the Pads. This guy will eventually provide some value at the big league level, and will be flipped at the deadline to add to an ever improving farm system
Good move
“Good clubhouse guy”
“Extra chromosome”
“Hes a glue guy”
Could be missing link since “NL West not that strong”
Not that strong? Strongest divison in the nl
Won’t be after 2019
Marvinthemindreader.com projects 2 seasons ahead.
LONDON BRIDGES FALLING DOWN! FALLING DOWN! FALLING DOWN!