Right-hander Chris Paddack is moving from Detroit’s rotation to the bullpen. Tigers manager A.J Hinch announced the development today to reporters, including Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press.
Paddack, 29, was acquired from the Twins ahead of the trade deadline. The Tigers gave up catching prospect Enrique Jimenez in order to acquire Paddack and also minor leaguer Randy Dobnak from their division rival.
The Detroit rotation has taken a number of hits this year. They signed Alex Cobb in the offseason but he still hasn’t thrown a pitch for them due to hip injuries. Jackson Jobe required Tommy John surgery in June. Ty Madden has been out all year due to a shoulder strain and isn’t expected to return. The same day the Tigers acquired Paddack, Reese Olson was placed on the 60-day injured list due to his own shoulder strain.
To address those injuries, the Tigers added Paddack and also Charlie Morton at the deadline. Those two have been in the rotation alongside Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize over the past few weeks.
The Paddack acquisition received criticism at the time, as he wasn’t having a great season. He started 21 times for the Twins, logging 111 innings, allowing 4.95 earned runs per nine. His 5.7% walk rate was good but his 17.6% strikeout rate and 36.4% ground ball rate were both subpar figures. Since coming to Detroit, things have not improved. He has made six starts with a 5.40 ERA, 11.6% strikeout rate, 4.1% walk rate and 33.3% ground ball rate.
That performance will get Paddack bumped out of the rotation. What’s not known is what comes next. The Tigers have recalled Sawyer Gipson-Long to start today’s game. It’s unclear if this is a spot start or if he has a rotation gig going forward.
It’s possible they may not replace Paddack in the rotation at all. The Tigers famously deployed “pitching chaos” last year, using a large number of openers, bullpen games and bulk guys, while Skubal was at times the only real starter. They have Gipson-Long going tonight and Mize on Wednesday. They are then off on Thursday and host the White Sox for three on the weekend. After that, they are off every Monday, playing six games in a row in between each of those off-days.
They could again do a lot of bullpen games, deploying a four-man rotation while using guys like Gipson-Long, Troy Melton and Paddack for multiple innings. Cobb has been moved to a relief role as the Tigers try to get him healthy somehow, but he could perhaps cover some innings. Keider Montero is on optional assignment and could be recalled.
Ultimately, it’s not a huge deal for the club now. They are cruising to a division win, currently holding a nine-game lead over the Royals. Paddack wasn’t going to be in their playoff rotation, so they’ll try him out of the bullpen. They probably regret giving up Jimenez to a division rival, though he’s only 19 years old and it’s hard to say if he’ll eventually make it as a major leaguer down the line.
For Paddack personally, it’s less than ideal. He is a few weeks away from reaching free agency for the first time. He has shown promise earlier in his career, particularly his 2019 rookie season with the Padres. He tossed 140 2/3 innings that year with a 3.33 ERA, 26.9% strikeout rate, 5.5% walk rate and 40.2% ground ball rate.
Unfortunately, his results backed up from there. Tommy John surgery wiped out a decent chunk of his 2022-2024 seasons. He has been able to log 141 innings so far this year, the highest total of his career, but he hasn’t regained his previous strikeout stuff. He’ll now be going into free agency without a lot of momentum and will likely be looking for a bounceback pillow deal somewhere.
Photo courtesy of Junfu Han, Imagn Images
Troy Melton time??
Melton and Long are the two best options. I would think Long gets it as it’s just to eat innings. They will want Melton ready to be in the playoff bullpen. I personally would rather Melton be in the playoff rotation as the next three after Skuball have be suspect since the all star game.
Tigers just the latest team to learn firsthand that the hype that’s surrounded Paddack since he came up has been smoke and mirrors at best. Can’t believe he’s still just 29. To think he’ll get a pillow contract this winter is wildly optimistic. I think he’ll be looking at minors deals only in the coming months.
He’s 30 in January and healthy. He’ll get at least a one-year MLB deal with vesting player option for a #5. Worse pitchers have gotten them.
They seriously need to let Melton start.
Melton is 25 IP shy of his IP mark from last season at AA. I assume they moved him to the pen recently so they can make the most of his innings in October. We shall see.
Remember when this bum was very vocal about how he was more deserving than Pete Alonso for ROY?
The Polar Bear vs. The Sheriff “discussion”, I ‘member it well!
I was just thinking about that…
Still burns my arse that while knowing almost certainly The Tigers are going to the playoffs, our big TRADE DEADLINE starting pitcher acquisitiions were a has-been innings-eater (Morton) and a never-was (Paddack). Normally, I have to support The Tiger’s front office because we’ve seen such success in the last year, but saving our marketable youngsters for ‘the future’ was kinda silly….THE FUTURE IS NOW!!
The “future” is the Postseason!
That was my point, actually….guess I should have used the word “postseason” in there somewhere….
After Skubal, our rotation is just flakey these daze….
Gwynning….Im still calling SD vs Detroit in the World Series dude! You and I will differ on the winner though;) Time for a 1984 rematch
Let’s go, Bummer! That’d be rad
🤙🏽😎🤙🏽
I guess the move to the bullpen is going to be a rough go. Mets cleaned his clock tonight. 1.1 innings, eight hits, six ER.
Why not bring up Dobnak for the bullpen? I’m sure the Braves would take him, maybe even pick up his option for next year.
Paddack should have been moved to the waiver wire. He really hasn’t gotten anyone out consistently since his rookie year.
Looks like they’d have been better off kicking him in the groin than moving him to the bullpen… he came in today and gave up 6 earned in 1.1 innings and 2 homers… you get what you pay for, and when you want to go cheap like they did, you get Chris Paddack.