Seeking a comeback, the Padres gamble on former star pitcher Triston McKenzie. Can a change of scenery reignite his career and secure a rotation spot?
Out of nowhere, the San Diego Padres have been very busy in MLB free agency.
It began Thursday night when they brought back pitcher Michael King, giving him a handsomely crafted three-year deal worth $75 million that includes opt-outs.
It continued on Friday as they struck a deal with Korean infielder Sung-mun Song, a former teammate of former Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim.
On Thursday, the Padres had also made a series of other smaller moves. But, one has plenty of potential depending on how he develops.
The Padres signed former Cleveland Guardians star pitcher Triston McKenzie to a minor league deal, according to Aram Leighton of Just Baseball.
"The Padres and RHP Triston McKenzie have agreed to a Minor League deal, sources tell @JustBB_Media. Includes ST invite. McKenzie owns a 4.07 ERA in 442 MLB innings since debuting in 2020, but struggled to a 5.46 ERA in just 97.1 innings over parts of the last three seasons."
While McKenzie has struggled lately, it's a low-risk move that could very well pay off if he can turn things around.
And, McKenzie has a history with Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla, who was the Guardians assistant pitching coach for Cleveland in McKenzie’s first two major league seasons.
Can McKenzie Crack The Rotation?
Right now, the Padres rotation looks very unsettled. Joe Musgrove is set to return from an injury. Yu Darvish is injured and out for the entire season, and possibly more.
Nick Pivetta is currently a popular name discussed in trade rumors everywhere.
And, King just re-signed with the Padres.
Randy Vasquez is as is JP Sears, but neither one are guaranteed a spot in the rotation after their up-and-down seasons.
Right now, here is what it could look like if Pivetta is not traded.
- Nick Pivetta
- Joe Musgrove
- Michael King
- Randy Vasquez
If that's the first four, then the fifth spot is open and up for grabs. At this rate, Pivetta being dealt wouldn't be surprising, but the Padres have also been linked to adding more pitchers.
With all of that said, there is a very clear and realistic path for McKenzie to crack the rotation if he does well during Spring Training. After spending his entire MLB career with the Guardians, a change of scenery could be a perfect chance to have a career resurgence and become part of the rotation in San Diego.
If so, this could be one of the steals of this free agency period.