The Padres announced they’ve signed reliever Ross Detwiler to a major league contract. Righty Shaun Anderson was optioned to Triple-A El Paso to clear active roster space. San Diego already had a vacancy on the 40-man roster, so no move was necessary in that regard.
Detwiler had previously spent the entire 2021 campaign with the Marlins, who signed him to a one-year, $850K guarantee over the offseason. The veteran southpaw spent the year as a bullpen option for Miami manager Don Mattingly, working primarily in lower-leverage situations. Detwiler made 46 appearances (including five starts as an opener) and worked 45 1/3 innings of 4.96 ERA ball.
It has been an interesting season for Detwiler, who has revamped his plan of attack. Generally a low-strikeout, ground-ball oriented hurler, he’s tweaked his pitch mix and gotten wildly different results than he has in years past. Detwiler has cut his sinker usage nearly in half in favor of a more four-seam heavy approach. That has resulted in a career-best strikeout rate (28%), with hitters taking a career-high 19.2% of his offerings for called strikes. But it’s come with an accompanying dip in ground balls, as Detwiler has gone from inducing grounders on more than half the balls in play against him between 2019-20 down to 39.7% this season.
With Detwiler nearing free agency anyways, the non-contending Marlins designated him for assignment and released him over the weekend. Miami will remain on the hook for the majority of Detwiler’s remaining salary, with the Friars responsible for paying him only the prorated portion of the league minimum for his final couple weeks of work.
Detwiler signs with San Diego after August 31, so he won’t be eligible for the Padres’ postseason roster if the team makes it to the playoffs. The 35-year-old will get an opportunity to pitch in meaningful games down the stretch, though, as he tries to help the Friars get into the postseason before again reaching free agency this winter.
For the Padres, there’s no real harm in bringing Detwiler aboard. They enter play tonight tied with the Cardinals, half a game behind the Reds for the National League’s final playoff spot. Their season quite obviously hangs in the balance over their final nineteen games, but the pitching staff continues to deal with injuries. Chris Paddack landed on the injured list last night, and Blake Snell left his most recent start early. Detwiler’s not a true rotation option at this stage of his career, but he’s capable of shouldering an inning or two to deepen an overall pitching staff that might have to rely on a few bullpen games down the stretch.
When he was used as an actual reliever, and not an opener or a starter that HAD to make it through four innings no matter what, he was actually pretty good. That’s how he’s at 0.0 bWSR despite a 5 ERA in 45 innings. He had at least 3 games where they had him pitch over 3 innings and not take him out where he just got shelled. But I felt anytime I saw him come out in the 6th or 7th he was fine. Good 9 out of 10 times. So if the Padres treat him right this could be a good pickup.
If this boneheaded FO of the Marlins kept him in the right role he probably would have been flipped for a decent lottery ticket.
Yep
Ross Detwiler
Starter/Opener: 15.26 ERA in 5 games, 7 HRs on 14 hits in 7.2 IP
Reliever: 2.87 ERA in 41 games, 1 HR on 27 hits in 37.2 IP
You guys both know your claims can easily be checked right? I just looked at his pitching logs.
He pitched 3 IP once; July 2nd, allowed 1 hit and 0 ER.
He pitched 2.2 IP once; July 7th, allowed 6 hits and 5 ER.
He pitched 2 IP once; May 2nd, allowed 0 hits and 0 ER
So those are his only appearances that he pitched more than 2 innings. Those three examples, the only ones for this season, is pretty far from decisive evidence that he can’t pitch multiple innings.
His inflated ERA is more because of of his July 7th appearance mentioned above and two appearances later, July 19th, which he allowed a whopping 8 earned runs in one inning of work.
What should really stick out to you is that his last 10 outings he hasn’t allowed any runs earned or otherwise.
This aged like year old milk.
Desperation is a stinky cologne.
Also joins Pierce Johnson in SD as Missouri State former players
It pays to be a lefty.
A little less Tim Hill Time might benefit all right now, including Tim Hill.
Tim Hill has been their only lefty in the pen for a while. Pomeranz, Strahm, Castillo all hit the 60. Their left handed pitching has taken a major hit this year including Morejon and now Snell winding up injured.
In the off season I’d like to see the Padres sign a #5. Jon Lester comes to mind as a guy for the #5 spot who’d give you innings.
Theyre set to roll with Darvish, Snell, Musgrove, Clevinger in 2022. So a veteran lefty in the 5 spot would make sense. Lester or someone like Eduardo Rodrgiguez.
Pierce Johnson, Keone Kela, Craig Stammen, Daniel Hudson all are free agents. I’d shift Paddack to the pen. Lamet should work on being a pen piece. At some point they’re scheduled to get Morejon, Baez, Wingenter back.
Set to roll? Darvish has given up 45 runs last 49 innings. Lamet is almost 30 always hurt has never pitched full season. Musgrove average. Clevinger hasn’t pitched full season since 2018 coming off TG surgery
So you agree theyre currently set to have their rotation to be Darvish, Snell, Musgrove. Clevinger and could use a #5 in 2022.
Not sure what Lamet being put in the pen has to do with pitching a full season since his workload would be reduced.
Well. Glad you agree. I dont think you know what the phrase “set to roll” means.
Set to roll or ready to roll means this is the plan at the moment.