Headlines

  • Mets To Activate Max Scherzer On Tuesday
  • Nationals Made Extension Offer To Juan Soto This Spring
  • A’s Designate Adam Kolarek, Option Cristian Pache
  • Blue Jays Sign Sergio Romo
  • Bryce Harper To Undergo Thumb Surgery
  • Royals Trade Carlos Santana To Mariners, Promote Vinnie Pasquantino
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2022
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Padres Sign Vince Velasquez, Place Blake Snell On Injured List

By Anthony Franco | September 15, 2021 at 10:59pm CDT

The Padres announced they’ve signed Vince Velasquez to a minor league contract. He’ll be selected to the big league roster to start a game against the Cardinals this weekend, per the team. They’ll need to make active and 40-man roster moves before his start. In related news, San Diego placed lefty Blake Snell on the 10-day injured list due to a left adductor groin strain.

Velasquez becomes the second recently-released pitcher added by San Diego in as many days. The Friars signed reliever Ross Detwiler to a major league deal yesterday, just a few days after he was cut loose by the Marlins. Those moves come a month after San Diego picked up Jake Arrieta once he was released by the Cubs. It has been an “all hands on deck” approach to a pitching staff that has been beaten up badly by injuries throughout the year.

It hasn’t been an especially productive season for Velasquez, who has only managed 81 2/3 innings over 21 appearances (including 17 starts). He’s pitched to a career-worst 5.95 ERA in that time despite a 23.5% strikeout rate and 10.8% swinging strike percentage that each check in right around the league average.

That’s mostly a reflection of Velasquez’s walk and home run troubles, issues that plagued him throughout his six years in Philadelphia. He’s doled out free passes to a lofty 12.5% of opponents, the highest single-season mark of his career. And Velasquez’s always low ground-ball rate has dipped to 33.3% this year, nearly ten percentage points below the league average. That’s contributed to his serving up seventeen homers (1.87 HR/9), although the San Diego front office is surely hopeful a move to a less homer-friendly ballpark could alleviate that somewhat.

Velasquez’s recent struggles led to his release from Philadelphia yesterday. At this stage of the season, competent big league starting pitching is almost impossible to acquire, so the Friars moved quickly to add the 29-year-old once he passed through waivers. Velasquez had been on the injured list due to blister troubles at the time of his release, but he’d already made a pair of minor league rehab appearances. The team’s announcement that he’ll start this weekend suggests he’s healthy and ready to step back into MLB action.

Logging some innings will be critical for a San Diego team that has lost a pair of starters to the IL in recent days. Chris Paddack landed on the shelf earlier this week, and Snell joins him after leaving his start on Sunday night after just eleven pitches. The Friars were down to Arrieta, Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove in the rotation, so Velasquez steps in to add some length and hopefully make a few productive starts down the stretch. The Phillies will be on the hook for the balance of his $4MM salary, with the Padres’ paying him just the prorated portion of the league minimum.

As with yesterday’s Detwiler signing, picking up Velasquez is solely about improving the Padres’ odds of grabbing a Wild Card spot this year. Both players joined the organization after August 31 and would be ineligible for postseason play. They each have enough service time to qualify for free agency again this winter. So they’re both being brought in for the next three weeks only, with San Diego trying to outplay the Cardinals, Reds, Phillies and Mets for the National League’s final postseason spot. St. Louis is in pole position, holding a half-game advantage over Cincinnati and a one-game lead on the Padres.

Share 0 Retweet 11 Send via email0

Newsstand San Diego Padres Transactions Blake Snell Vincent Velasquez

Luis Rengifo Reportedly Facing Charges In Venezuela For Allegedly Falsifying Documents
Main
Latest On Mets’ Front Office
View Comments (62)

Comments

  1. bucsfan0004

    10 months ago

    On the post where Velasquez was released, it was assumed he would end up with the Padres. Good job, mlbtr commenters

    Reply
    • 5TUNT1N

      10 months ago

      Was smart even if they couldn’t use him(which they totally can) to prevent him from joining the giants or Dodgers.

      Reply
      • vtadave

        10 months ago

        I’m sure the Giants and Dodgers are devastated.

        Reply
      • philliesphan77

        10 months ago

        That doesn’t make sense. The Pads should want the Giants or Dodgers to pick him up so he can help them lose some games.

        Reply
        • 5TUNT1N

          10 months ago

          Dodgers are doing better than the giants and are nearing the end of there bullpen games. Wood sounds like he’s soon coming off the IL so he can contribute which takes away 1 bullpen game for the giants but the current one isn’t looking too great!

      • VegasSDfan

        10 months ago

        Seems like a smart move. You have two guys on the 10 day, you need someone to eat innings for two weeks. The home runs won’t be as much of an issue in the NL West parks

        Reply
        • dodger1958

          10 months ago

          Hitting, or lack thereof, with RISP, seems to be as big an issue as pitching.

    • BillGiles

      10 months ago

      Thank you

      Reply
  2. AshamedMethGoat

    10 months ago

    Called this in his release thread!

    Reply
    • BillGiles

      10 months ago

      So did I

      Reply
    • solaris602

      10 months ago

      Same! Padres snapping up any and all able bodied SPs who are stretched out regardless of effectiveness. SD throwing Hail Mary’s on every play in the last 2 minutes

      Reply
  3. WrigleyFieldTrough

    10 months ago

    Desperate

    Reply
  4. DarkSide830

    10 months ago

    not shocking…he’s better than Arrieta at least

    Reply
    • WarkMohlers

      10 months ago

      Jim Abbott is a better right-handed pitcher than Jake Arrieta.

      Reply
  5. htbnm57

    10 months ago

    Enjoy the inevitable meltdown every outing….

    Reply
  6. Barelybreathin

    10 months ago

    At least they’re still trying to put something together. You would have to be a real hater to enjoy the meltdown the Padres are experiencing. I hope they come out of it.

    Reply
    • jekporkins

      10 months ago

      Call me a hater, but I’m getting some serious glee after the last offseason where Padres’ fans were so cocky and arrogant. The amount of smack talking coming for a team that had ONE above .500 season in a decade was annoying. You guys were putting yourself on a pedestal above the Dodgers and Giants and already dusting off the mantle for the World Series trophy.

      So, yeah, if the Padres play under .500 this season it will make me smile.

      Reply
      • cryptonerd

        10 months ago

        I agree.
        Even though I feel bad for the Padres, but their fans make it hard.
        San Diego’s eating humble pie now.

        Reply
        • burnt_reynolds

          10 months ago

          The loudest and most obnoxious voices are always most visible. The overwhelming majority of Padre lifers will tell you that watching a team who’s even remotely relevant to the general baseball discussion is a very rare and precious occurrence. In spite of this dreadful free fall, most of us are still extremely grateful for the past few seasons. All I’m saying is, like, cut us some slack, man. We haven’t had much to root for.

      • Smelly_Cobb

        10 months ago

        Seriously, dodger fans don’t know the pain we’ve endured. You all are spoiled.

        Reply
        • Mrtwotone2

          10 months ago

          Everybody was ready to give AJ Preller the key to the city lol. All he did was increase payroll, drain a great farm system, and their probably not even going to make the playoffs! Reminds me of the stench of 2015 to me. But sure, Preller is a genius remember? Worst gm ever!

        • Smelly_Cobb

          10 months ago

          If the entire team didn’t slump for a month, we’d have the wildcard locked. Not really similar at all to 2015

        • neoncactus

          10 months ago

          Dodger fans had several years under Frank McCourt. They know the pain.

  7. Hairy Callous

    10 months ago

    First outing with SD: 7.0, 4H 1bb 9k 0er
    Second outing: 2.2, 6h 4bb 1k 6er
    This is the Velasquez way.

    Reply
    • bbatardo

      10 months ago

      Padres probably take that lol

      Reply
  8. truthlemonade

    10 months ago

    The Padres are cooked.

    Reply
    • Barelybreathin

      10 months ago

      You must be a baseball prophet. 8.5 % chance to make the playoffs. Not looking too good with their remaining schedule. Still hope though in San Diego.

      Reply
  9. Lefty_Orioles_Fan

    10 months ago

    I was hoping the Orioles were going to give Velasquez a shot
    He has a live arm

    Reply
    • BeforeMcCourt

      10 months ago

      he’s a FA after the year. Give em 15 games and they can start planning

      Reply
  10. sdpadsfan11

    10 months ago

    The dumpster keeps on giving!!

    Reply
  11. Peart of the game

    10 months ago

    Nice upside play at league minimum. Pretty much can’t be worse than Jake Arrieta

    Reply
    • cryptonerd

      10 months ago

      Does Preller not trust the bullpen?

      Why keep pushing Arrieta out there just to take a beating?

      Show some sympathy to your fanbase AJ, I’m a dodger fan but this meltdown is becoming too hard to watch.

      Paying my respects to the Padres season.
      RIP SD

      Reply
      • CNichols

        10 months ago

        I don’t know if this has anything to do with trusting the bullpen. If you take Arrieta and Velasquez out of the equation they would literally have 2 healthy starters (Darvish, Musgrove). You can’t do 3 bullpen days out of every 5, that’s just too many innings for them to cover.

        The real failure here is that they had nobody in the high minors ready to fill in. The pitching “depth” they had was totally surface level. Tough to watch but they put themselves in a position with no other options but to sign guys off the street like this

        Reply
        • cryptonerd

          10 months ago

          I agree overall but the giants and Dodgers were doing 2 bullpen games a week recently and it worked out for them.
          Maybe just replace Arrieta with a bullpen game?
          They won last night though, so keep going Padres.
          Sweep the giants please!

        • Disjointed Team

          10 months ago

          It’s hard to sweep when they lost game 1 and 2 of the series.

        • cryptonerd

          10 months ago

          Thanks for the correction, & there’s always next Tues, Wed, Thur, series.
          I’ll keep my fingers crossed that they take the next four against SF.
          Couldn’t ask for a more exciting end to the season, than the NL West.

    • Spanky McFarland

      10 months ago

      It can be. I’m a Phillies fan. Ask me how I know.

      Reply
      • DarkSide830

        10 months ago

        you should also know, as Phillies fan, just how bad Arrieta is, and he’s only gotten worse.

        Reply
  12. Blank Frank

    10 months ago

    Despite the fact they trail the Giants by more than 20 games, the Pads still have 8 head-to-head games with SF. They could cause some serious heartaches for the Giants and then face them in the wild card. But I doubt it.

    Reply
  13. 99socalfrc

    10 months ago

    Preller is such an awesome GM, I mean just look at all the talent he has lined up in the minors to fill these pitching gaps…..

    Reply
  14. BirdieMan

    10 months ago

    Snell’s been a real P.O.S. this year. But, what does he care? He got paid.

    Reply
    • bbatardo

      10 months ago

      Guessing you stopped watching Snell pitch in July.

      Reply
      • matthew767676

        10 months ago

        He has been pitching much better lately, but the start of the year was awful. Right now he is 7-6 with a 4.20 ERA is still not great for the money he made. He also is averaging 4.8 walks per 9 which is 1 full walk per 9 higher than when he was in tampa.

        overall, tampa seems to have made the right choice by letting him go (especially with their small payroll).

        Reply
  15. AndyMeyer

    10 months ago

    Can they take Ian Kennedy too?

    Reply
    • HawaiiPhil2020

      10 months ago

      Amen

      Reply
  16. gwaid44

    10 months ago

    I don’t know why the Phillies DFA’d Vince,especially after Eflin was ruled out for the season. Their 5th starter for the past 6 weeks has been “a bullpen game”, when their bullpen is possibly the worst in MLB history! I normally go to 20-30 Phillies games per season ,some years I had season tix and saw 60+ games/ season. I haven’t been to a game since Fan Appreciation Day in 2019, and was planning on going tomorrow, but it is “bullpen turn in the rotation and I don’t feel like watching Cubs bums hit 485 Foot HR’s off Ian Kennedy,Alvarado, Neris, etc. I think Vince would have been better than almost every one of the bullpen pitchers!

    Reply
    • Bill Kane

      10 months ago

      Have you watched him pitch this year? He had numerous chances to claim the 5th spot and they all ended up as bullpen games with the team behind by 3 or 4 runs.

      Reply
    • fffbbb

      10 months ago

      You forget that Girardi hates VV, and like with Bohm, once you get in Girardi’s doghouse, his petulance won’t let you back out. Certainly agree VV better option than a few innings of Coonrod and Falter and then inevitably Moore. It is why Girardi must go after season

      Reply
    • Bob333

      10 months ago

      Good job stay away the Organization is a mess

      Reply
      • Rsox

        10 months ago

        Careful what you wish for. Firing Girardi could open the door for DD to hire Brad Ausmus or someone else equally as awful. It must be hard for Phillies fans to watch Kapler having success in San Francisco after enduring his first couple of “learning on the job” years.

        As for Girardi’s doghouse; Segura found a way out, though a guaranteed contract may have more to do with that than anything else. Girardi is an old school veterans manager. Doesn’t really like to play young players unless they come out mashing like Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge did

        Reply
        • Cucker Tarlson

          10 months ago

          Rsox,
          Here in Bay Area, we watched Kapler’s Giants fade from the wildcard picture last season. We know he’s no baseball savant.
          This season we’re not asking any questions, just enjoying an amazing year from some 34-year olds having rebound years, a pretty good starting staff and bullpen of mostly discarded pitchers, and every move going the Giants way. We’re just enjoying one of those magical years.

  17. Faith in the Padres

    10 months ago

    Cool. Hopefully a change of scenery helps him. Maybe you hit an undiscovered spring. Maybe you hit the water line and it’s start flooding.

    Reply
    • RemovePitcherWinsFromTheRecordBooks

      10 months ago

      lol

      Reply
  18. SalaryCapMyth

    10 months ago

    I feel bad for the Padres. Nobody wanted to sign him, not even the Padres. They just have to have SOMEONE on the mound and Velasquez is at least someone.

    Reply
  19. theodore glass

    10 months ago

    The Velazquez experiment begins.

    Reply
  20. Dannyocean

    10 months ago

    It surprises me that Vince is getting another MLB chance. I know Padres are desperate. He may pitch well enough for them to think he’d be a competent 5th starter and he’ll underperform is SD for the next five years.

    Reply
  21. Bob333

    10 months ago

    Don’t get excited fans this guy looks like Cy Young one outting than can’t get out of the 3rd inning in the next 6 games and will give up tons of Hr’s

    Reply
  22. Disjointed Team

    10 months ago

    After last night’s Cincy fiasco, and this Padres pitching staff, the Cardinals just need to show up and back into a WC beating by either LA or SF.

    Reply
  23. CrikesAlready

    10 months ago

    Stick a fork in them. They are just trying to save putrid meat by adding more seasoning to the pot.

    It’s time to get rid of Preller, who has insufficiently stocked the minor leagues with AAAA players available to fill in.

    Reply
  24. Cucker Tarlson

    10 months ago

    During his six seasons with the Phillies, Vince Velasquez proved to be a good guy and teammate. He’s a crap pitcher, but a good guy and teammate…

    Reply
  25. pwndroia

    10 months ago

    Padres throwing money at anyone…. hope they rock the Dodgers in the upcoming series.

    Reply
  26. CrikesAlready

    9 months ago

    Stick a fork in the Padres…

    Snell and Paddack likely out for the season. Reminds me of 2020 with Clevenger and Lamet except that Lamet was certifiably good when he went down last year.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Mets To Activate Max Scherzer On Tuesday

    Nationals Made Extension Offer To Juan Soto This Spring

    A’s Designate Adam Kolarek, Option Cristian Pache

    Blue Jays Sign Sergio Romo

    Bryce Harper To Undergo Thumb Surgery

    Royals Trade Carlos Santana To Mariners, Promote Vinnie Pasquantino

    Major League Baseball Issues 12 Suspensions For Angels – Mariners Brawl

    Cardinals Place Jack Flaherty, Harrison Bader On Injured List

    Bryce Harper Fractures Left Thumb

    Phillies Select Mark Appel

    Daniel Hudson Suffers Season-Ending ACL Injury

    Salvador Perez Undergoes Thumb Surgery

    Cubs Designate Jonathan Villar For Assignment

    Yankees, Aaron Judge Avoid Arbitration

    Giants Acquire Willie Calhoun From Rangers For Steven Duggar

    Recent

    Mets To Activate Max Scherzer On Tuesday

    Royals Claim Ryan Weiss, Designate Matt Peacock For Assignment

    Marlins Select Billy Hamilton, Designate Erik Gonzalez, Place Jorge Soler On IL

    Mets Place Chris Bassitt On Injured List

    Twins Designate Tyler Thornburg For Assignment

    Nationals Designate Sam Clay For Assignment

    Phillies Designate Oscar Mercado For Assignment

    Twins Name Pete Maki Pitching Coach

    Mookie Betts Could Return Next Week, May Play Second Base Initially

    Yankees Exploring Market For Outfield Upgrades

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Trevor Story Rumors
    • Frankie Montas Rumors
    • Michael Conforto Rumors
    • Arbitration Tracker
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • MLB Player Chats
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2022
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version