The Padres announced on Twitter that they have designated left-handers Tommy Layne and Colt Hynes for assignment in order to clear 40-man roster spots for right-hander Joe Wieland and left-hander Cory Luebke, each of whom has been reinstated from the 60-day disabled list.
Layne, who turns 29 next week, pitched 8 2/3 innings of 2.08 ERA ball for the Padres in his second big league stint this season. The St. Louis native has a 4.50 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 704 career minor league innings between the Padres and Diamondbacks (the team that originally drafted him). He was acquired by the Padres from the D-Backs for cash considerations early in the 2012 season.
The 28-year-old Hynes made his big league debut in 2013, but it didn't go as he'd hoped. Hynes allowed 17 runs in 17 innings for the Friars, striking out 13 and walking nine. He was significantly better for Triple-A Tucson, where he posted a sparkling 1.80 ERA with an eye-popping 42-to-2 K/BB ratio in 35 innings of work.
Both Luebke, 28, and Wieland, 23, looked to be establishing themselves as mainstays in the Padres' rotation prior to 2012 Tommy John surgery. Neither was able to make it back to the big leagues in 2013, but both figure to factor into the team's rotation in 2014. Luebke is especially likely, as GM Josh Byrnes rewarded his stellar 2011 efforts with a four-year, $12MM extension shortly before Opening Day in 2012.
