The Padres have designated left-hander Kyle McGrath for assignment, according to the team. His 40-man spot will go to right-hander Phil Hughes, whom the Padres acquired from the Twins on Sunday.
McGrath has been with the Padres since 2014, when they selected him in the 36th round of the draft, and made his major league debut last year. Across 23 innings in San Diego, including four this season, the 25-year-old has notched a 3.13 ERA with 7.83 K/9, 3.52 BB/9 and a minuscule 28.1 percent groundball rate. Additionally, McGrath has limited left-handed hitters to an ugly .152/.243/.250 line.
Should a team in need of a lefty reliever claim McGrath, it would have the ability to send him to the minors. McGrath still has three options remaining, and has spent most of this year with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate.
A bit surprised by this one. Was expecting Brewer or even Guerra
dodgers
This actually is a Dodgers type claim. In all sincerity his fb “rises,” he has three options left, and he can get lh out. I know it was probably said tongue and cheek, but this is the repertoire they’ve had success with.
His FB doesn’t “rise”. Maybe you’re thinking of Cimber (submariner) or Maton (high FB spin rate), but McGrath’s fastball is released really high, isn’t fast at all, and is pretty straight. He uses location and his pitch mix to get guys out. He could be a decent LOOGY but in all reality he’s a AAAA arm.
How does he find the plate while looking at the ground?
And he’s done well…..
I think you’re thinking of someone else. McGrath has an extreme over-the-top delivery.
Shoulda been Bryan Mitchell, McGrath has at least proven he can get people out. Mitchell has only proven he can get people to hit the ball out of the park.
You’re exactly right. But unfortunately it is a business and Mitchell was acquired attached to an expensive player who cost $12 million dollars this year so effectively he is going to get a longer look than most because management don’t want to admit that mistake this early in the season.
Management doesn’t** want to admit
Seems an odd claim to make the week after they released Headley.
How? Headley was never important from the time the trade went down. This trade was all about Bryan Mitchell. The Padres ate 12 million of Chase Headley because they liked Mitchell that much, releasing Headley was the easy part.
Now releasing Mitchell is admitting a 12 million dollar mistake, which once again. The organization won’t do.
Why in the world would the Padres release a player that has four years of contro/l just because he’s been struggling in the first couple of months? If you were a GM and made the choice to release that player you would be fired. it’s not who that’s stopping them, it’s just not a smart choice at all.
They just released McGrath who has options rather than releasing Webb, who’s been a BP pitcher this year, or Mitchell, who’s been no better than he was with the Yankmes. They’re Preller boys, McGrath isn’t. I’ve given up thinking AJ cares about anything more than AJ looking good.
For the record, McGrath cleared waivers and is with El Paso.
A young lefty reliever with 3 options left will absolutely get claimed or traded.
This seems like a Dodgers type of move, but AA loved stashing depth in Toronto so the Braves could be a fit, and I comment this everywhere but the Indians need any reliever with a pulse so he could be a fit there too.
I’d like to see him in a Red Sox uniform, but I think they are too far down the totem pole for their claim to be accepted.
If they wanted him badly enough, they could trade for him before the Padres would put him on waivers
Michael, I’d like to see Red Sox Eduardo Nunez 2B/SS/3B utility man traded for McGrath. The Padres could use him at 2B right away. The Sox got Pedroia back, so he’s expendable.
Only thing is, the Padres have Luis Urias ready to take over 2B any day now so it would be hard to imagine them blocking him for Nunez if that deal did come to fruition.
Nunez can’t field then again Villanueva can’t also so nice tandem
LOL.
It sounds like a valid trade option.
To tie it with a discussion from earlier, if nothing else, it would make sense to trade him for a draft pick, if that were legal.
It is. Competetive balance pick…
Trade them McGrath and Spangenberg.Cory needs a change of scenery and Nunez becomes the new infield Utility guy.
Backs up Pirela/Urias and Villanueva.
Ain’t gonna happen…but would work and would open another 40 man spot so the Pads could call up Kennedy for his Cup O Coffee.