The Padres announced they’ve outrighted pitcher Daison Acosta. The team hadn’t previously designated the right-hander for assignment. That opens a spot on their 40-man roster, which is now at 39. San Diego also reassigned catching prospect Ethan Salas to minor league camp.
Acosta, 27, has never pitched in the big leagues. He divided most of last season between the top two minor league levels in the Washington system. Acosta qualified for minor league free agency at year’s end. He impressed the Padres enough to command a big league contract and a 40-man spot throughout the offseason.
The Dominican-born reliever has not appeared in any Spring Training games. The Padres evidently placed him on waivers over the weekend. He went unclaimed and will remain in the organization. Acosta should begin the season with Triple-A El Paso. He struggled at that level last year, posting a 4.71 ERA while walking 15% of opponents. He had dominated Double-A opposition, firing 30 innings of 0.90 ERA ball with a strikeout rate above 40%.
It’s not clear if San Diego plans to replace Acosta on the 40-man roster in the coming days. They may simply have been confident that he’d clear waivers. The Padres already had essentially one free spot on the 40-man roster, as they can transfer Yu Darvish to the 60-day injured list as a corresponding move. They have a number of non-roster invitees battling for jobs, with righty Logan Gillaspie among those impressing the club in camp.
Salas received his first invitation to MLB camp this year. The 19-year-old obviously wasn’t under consideration for the Opening Day roster after spending most of last year in High-A. He went 2-9 with a trio of walks. He’ll likely begin the season at Double-A San Antonio.
Rooting for Salas to do well this year. With back issues it’s tough.
Nope. Not Salas first time in the major league camp of spring training.
@JSC First time he was officially invited. The other times he was just a minor leaguer brought up for Spring Training games is which I think they meant.
He absolutely was invited to spring training in both 2024 and 2025.
Yep. I saw his first game a couple of years ago. I think he was catching Yu.
I think he caught Weathers
His friends and associates know him as Daisy
Acosta has minor league options. He is still listed on the Padres 40 man.
I think the MLB website is incorrect/needs to be updated because the team’s official account on X posted that he cleared waivers and was outrighted, which means he would be off the 40 man. He wouldn’t need to clear to be optioned.
You’re right that he has options and could just send him down, but I think they’re trying to get that 40 man spot back for additions because they have guys with opt outs coming up at the end of spring training
No transaction for the DFA either, so seems strange. They changed his designation to minors on the 40 man, so why wouldn’t they just remove him. I am guessing their X posting was confused/a mistake maybe.
Transaction log says optioned, the injury and transaction report says outrighted. So something is wrong somewhere.