Padres reliever Carter Capps has been outrighted to Triple-A El Paso after clearing waivers, according to a team announcement. The move frees up a spot on the Padres’ 40-man roster.
Earlier in his career, the right-handed Capps looked like one of the game’s next great relievers. He was electrifying across 31 innings with the Marlins in 2015, when he recorded a 1.16 ERA/1.10 FIP with a ridiculous 16.84 K/9 against 2.03 BB/9. Capps then had to undergo Tommy John surgery prior to the 2016 campaign, keeping him out that entire year, and his career hasn’t gotten back on track since.
In July 2016, when he was recovering from surgery, the Marlins traded Capps to the Padres in a seven-player deal that also involved the likes of Andrew Cashner and now-Red Luis Castillo. Capps returned to the mound with the Padres last season, but the near-invincibility he showed in 2015 wasn’t on display. Thanks in part to a significant drop in velocity, Capps yielded nine earned runs on 12 hits and two walks, with just seven strikeouts, in 12 1/3 innings. He then underwent another serious procedure, thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, in late September.
Capps returned to action this spring and struggled again, allowing four earned runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. While Capps didn’t walk anyone, he only fanned four. Now, given that there aren’t any MLB teams that believe this version of Capps is worthy of a 40-man spot, he’ll have to rebuild his stock in the minors.
Wow. That TJS was a killer for him. I hope to see him make it back to full health a back to bigs.
I don’t think it was just the TJS … it was also MLB banning his skip step hiccup in his delivery also … Venturing a guess I’d say having to relearn a delivery while recovering from TJS derailed him
He can still use it. It just heavily modified
Yeah I think the TJ surgery along with the rules forcing him to change his delivery is what caused him to lose virtually all effectiveness. It’s a shame because he was nearly unhittable just a few years ago.
It was also a ridiculously unfair delivery – basically a crow hop 3-4 feet forward.
I don’t know if it was unfair; it made his fastball play up, but lots of pitchers have unorthodox deliveries. He was technically within the rules when he was good, but then MLB changed those rules.
I wonder what they’re gonna do with the open slot.
Tyson Ross
Good for him he did well in spring.
Tyson Ross or Chris Young, or AJ Ellis or Raffy Lopez.. All four of them will make the team
I hear cy opted out
Has great stuff but also one of the weirdest (and imo it’s cheating) deliveries in baseball
I agree
Just curious as to how he cleared. When he was traded from Mia he was a stud. Did he never recover from his TJ surgery?
The update answered my question. Thanks.
So if he had “just strikeouts” in 12 1/3 innings last year, does that mean 37? Sounds pretty good to me.
Well his delivery is nuts and honestly prob illegal. But he still throws the heck out of it. Fun to watch these type of players. Forgot who it was, but one of the better hitters in this generation said Capps was the toughest pitcher he ever faced because of his delivery
He has had to modify his delivery though.
The delivery he uses now is still unconventional but it’s not the same he used during his breakout season.
Not to mention that his mechanics are enough to make any pitching coach wince.
He just had TOS surgery in the offseason and it seems like it takes players a year to fully recover at full strength from it. Tyson Ross didn’t fare well last year but looks so much better this year and ironically is probably taking Capps spot on the 40.
This move should free up a spot for Buddy Baumann. He’s gonna be a stud reliever this year for the Padres.
He was on the 40 man already since 2016
Well good thing I know him ♂️
Lol and that changes what? He isn’t the future. He won’t be here when it’s time to compete. He isn’t any good. But, I like his style of pitching
That guy had had to g through TJ surgery, plus TOS surgery, plus having to modify his delivery. It makes sense why he’s fallen so far from what he once was. Hopefully he can rebuild his value in the minors.
His delivery is straight bullshit, hope he quits baseball
Not as bad as your team