Reliever Matt Strahm will undergo surgery on his right knee next week, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (Twitter link), and the southpaw is expected to be recovered for by Spring Training. Strahm is looking to fix his right patellar tendon, three years after undergoing a procedure on his left patellar tendon. The right knee issues bothered Strahm throughout the season, Acee said, and led to an injured list stint in September.
Despite the injury, Strahm still had some effective bottom-line stats over 20 2/3 relief innings, posting a 2.61 ERA and 3.75 K/BB rate. With the caveat of a small sample size, the left-hander also posted a career-low (6.5 K/9) strikeout rate, and the lack of missed bats led to some unimpressive ERA predictors (4.93 FIP, 5.01 xFIP, 4.24 SIERA). It’s possible that between these numbers and any uncertainty over his knee situation, the Padres could look to non-tender Strahm, who is projected to earn between $1.6MM-$1.9MM in his second trip through the arbitration process. On the other hand, the Padres might prefer to retain a member of their bullpen considering Trevor Rosenthal and Kirby Yates could depart in free agency, and Luis Perdomo will miss 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
The latest from San Diego…
- In another tweet from Acee, the Padres aren’t planning to make any changes to their coaching staff. One potential exception could be Skip Schumaker, if Schumaker receives any consideration for any of the managerial openings around baseball. Schumaker worked in San Diego’s front office for two seasons before becoming a first base coach in 2018-19 and then serving under skipper Jayce Tingler in an “associate manager” position. Schumaker was a candidate for the Mets’ managerial job last winter prior to New York’s (short-lived) hiring of Carlos Beltran.
- The Padres won’t be renewing the contracts of 25 employees in the baseball operations department, the club announced today. Most of the 25 employees were offered severance packages. According to The Athletic’s Dennis Lin (Twitter link), many of the employees let go were in player development roles related to the Padres’ farm system, indicating “continued uncertainty about the minor leagues.” It isn’t yet known if there will be any sort of normal minor league season in 2021, and even if there is, several minor league franchises are expected to be contracted as part of a more uniform, MLB-operated farm system.
Get well soon Strahm! Rosie and Yates should be retained, 100%.
Really doesn’t make sense to sign them both because with Pomeranz already signed thats like the equivalent of paying for 3 closers.
I’d be in favor of Rosenthal if he doesn’t want more than 3 years. Relievers are high variance and I don’t think they should have relievers locked into expensive contacts that cover their late 30s.
Yea that’s happening lol
No way they non- tender Strahm based his performance and need for lefty in pen. Rosie – will cost way too much to retain as money needs to go to FTJ and already have Pom. Yates – age and injury not a good combination for a reliever but if he would take a 1 year incentive based (possible 2nd year option) would be a good fit and worth a shot. He likes SD and they like him. Sometimes money gets in the way.
Does this mean Dave Cameron can write again?
One can only dream-
If he did ever re enter I dont think it would be with FG, he would prolly get swallowed up from the Athletic like everyone else
What about Cashner in relief?
Doubt Strahm gets DFA. He’s been one of the best lefties in the game out the pen the past couple years.
Coming off a shortened start and stop season playing the same opponents continually you’d expect some guys to underperform in the peripheral department.
He has 2 more arb years, has a history of being an effective reliever out of the pen, and the Padres don’t have much depth from the left side.
They should invest money they save from Rosenthal and Yates to pursue SP depth.
2021 looks to be Clevinger. Lamet, Davies, and Morejon. Paddack needs to develop a 3rd pitch this year in the minors and Gore and Patino need to develop more. Padres should sign 2 more SPs for the backend of the rotation and go with a 6 man rotation in 2021 to limit workloads for guys. Just a thought.
Padres can find cheaper options for pen help if they look to add guys. Wingenter is also coming back and maybe Espinoza can salvage his career. But from a FA stand point they should sign Tony Watson, Yusmerio Petit, and Evan Marshall or Anthony Bass.
Assuming 2021 is back to “normal” and assuming there will be 13 pitchers on the 26 man roster, then based on who is currently on the club this is how I see the pitching staff –
1. Clevinger
2. Lamet
3. Davies
4. Paddack
5. Gore
6. Patino
7. Morejon
8. Weathers
9. Straham
10. Pomeranz
11. Castillo
12. Adams
13. Pagan
I doubt Paddack spends time in the minors.
Supposedly Gore figured out his mechanical issues and looked good at the alternate site when the season ended. A strong spring training from him and I think he makes the rotation.
With “bullpen games” becoming more & more common, having guys like Patino, Morejon & Weathers in the bullpen who can be both “openers” as well come in for relief appearances is a bonus & makes it more likely they make the team.
I’d really love to see Adams get a shot at closing. His slider looks to be unhittable at times. He had 7 strikeouts in 4 innings after coming back from injury.
An intriguing idea for closer would be Paddack. I think mentally only looking to get 3 outs instead of 20+ might serve him better. He has electric stuff, We all saw it in 2019 and in spurts this past season. He averages just under 2 walks per 9 innings so he has solid control & he averages over a strikeout an inning. Really Paddack’s downfall is the homerun ball. A closer will never face the same batter twice in a game, so maybe pitching in that role would help. I think his “Sherriff” persona would play a lot better as a closer too. This of course would only be an option if he continued to struggle as a starter. I definitely wouldn’t give up on him in that capacity yet.
I think the real wild card is what will minor league baseball look like in 2021. Gore (21), Patino (20), Weathers (20), & Morejon (21) could arguably all benefit from at least some minor league starts to begin the season, but it those starts weren’t available and it was more of a simulated game type situation, like the alternate site was, then they are probably better off just getting playing time at the MLB level.
Stammen should never step foot on the Petco Park mound again unless it’s as a visitor.
Wingenter is probably the #1 trade goal of the Padres. I just don’t see him fitting in anywhere on the big club.
I actually really like Johnson & Altavilla, and both could end up being a possibility if some of the young guys aren’t ready.
Williams, Baez & Bednar all have upside, but trades seem likely with them.
Guerra & Lucchesi are probably gone.
Hill is a tough call. He is more of a lefty specialist & I don’t know if you want him pitching to 3 batters in an inning. He’s only 30 & has 3 more years of controllability, so my guess is the Padres find a place on the roster for him or trade him.
Espinoza has such tremendous upside, but he kind of gets lost in the shuffle because of all the injuries. Don’t know where he is at as far as options go.
Weathers, Gore and even Patino aren’t opening day unless someone gets hurt, gets traded or they are just lights out – later on though. Your list has no open spots for the misc reliever(s) and even a possible bounce back starter guy (insert a few different guys) that Preller will surely look to sign. Stammen will be in pen at least to start the year until he falters and others shine; and like you said, No reason to leave out Johnson or even Altavilla. I wouldn’t bet 100% that Paddack doesn’t see AAA (if return to normal) if someone of that group or signee shows up an deserved a spot. Although young and unproven, pads have too many arms IF a bunch pan out. Please see that I said IF.
Anderson Espinosa trade was stupid when it was made, and today it’s just an epic failure.
For the sixth year in a row, we could use one or two legit starting pitchers.
Espinoza has tremendous upside still singing that tune? Heard that was dumb trade by Preller was made 5 years ago. April 5, 2015
Atlanta Braves traded RHP Craig Kimbrel and Melvin Upton Jr. to San Diego Padres for CF Cameron Maybin, LF Carlos Quentin, LF Jordan Paroubeck and RHP Matt Wisler
Kimbrel at time was best closer in game similar to Brad Hand trade the great GM has nothing to show for it.
Still with this Paddack talk at least dumb nickname isn’t being used. Paddack stinks needs change of scenery that postseason start was awful.
padreforlife,
Do we know for sure that Clevinger and Lamet will be good to go? Even if they are, a lot of question marks with all that youth, a problem compounded by Paddack’s woes. Do you think they should be looking to add another starter? Generally speaking, you can never have too many, and the team’s next challenge is doing it over a fuller season of games (I won’t say 162). Plusses are the expanded playoffs and being in a relatively weak division.
A starter who will be entering his second full season next year with a 3.74 lifetime ERA stinks and needs a change of scenery? Paddack has 140-IP of 3.33-ERA and 59-IP of 4.73-ERA. Nobody would give up on Paddack yet.
Sheriff needs to go that Wild Card start was embarrassing
He needs change of scenery
Best lefties in game? Calm down he was awful in postseason when counts also over 11 era. He had 2.61 era during season calm down nice pitcher who crumbled in clutch
You grammar good.
His 11 era in postseason was off the charts.
He was hurt, void the sample size. Strahm will be retained.
There u go Padres favorite thing to do make excuse
To put it in terms your brain will understand.
“He hurt knee. He hurt knee bad. He need knee fixed by doctor.”
Yeah, go figure, an injured player underperforming. Almost as if something was wrong with him.
WAIT. Think it could have been his right knee this article is saying he will have surgery on? Man what are the chances! Definitely a coincidence.
RAWR! SMASH WITH ROCK! RAWR!
Myopic Padre fan “best lefties in game”
illiterate troll: “best lefties in game”
actual sentence used: “been one of the best lefties in the game out the pen”
You know there is a “reply” button.
Cutting player development. Not good. Never good.
Saving that $
2020 as a reliever he held hitters to a .189/.277/.338 line with 6.5 k/9.
2019 as a reliever Strahm held hitters to a
.246/.286/.357 line with 10.9 k/9,
2018 as a reliever Strahm held hitters to a
.183/.273/.320 line with 9.6
k/9
Padres would be dumb to give up arb years on a guy like Strahm who’s projected to make 2 million.
He’s one of the best pen lefties in the game. He’s overshadowed by his teammate Pomeranz and other bigger household names.
Easily a top 10 pen lefty in the game last 3 years.
I’ve got no problem joining Magaman in this. Take out a few closers / big money arms of the top and yeah, over the past 3 years AS A RELIEVER he really has been “one of the best” and maybe top 10. I’d be curious to see someone that disagrees make a list to see where he falls. If not 10, pretty close. Yet it’s like the best top 10 all time basketball player argument – everyone pretty much agrees on top 20 but no one can agree on top 10!
Easily