8:23pm: Morrow will earn at a $1.25MM annual rate for any time spent in the majors, per Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
8:12pm: The Dodgers have agreed to a minor-league deal with righty Brandon Morrow, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). He is expected to be given a shot at earning a roster spot as a reliever, per the report.
Morrow, 32, had long served as a starter, but made the full-time transition to the pen last year after years of health problems. He didn’t make it up to the majors until late in the season, but provided the Padres with 16 innings of 1.69 ERA ball while posting 4.5 K/9 against 1.7 BB/9. Though the short-sample K rate isn’t exciting, Morrow posted a solid 10.3% swinging-strike rate and showed an average fastball of over 94 mph.
While there’s plenty of risk in relying too heavily on the righty, given his shoulder woes, it’s just a minor-league deal. And Los Angeles has clearly charted a strategy of taking chances on pitchers with questionable medicals of late, trusting the team’s depth pieces and ability to make mid-season moves to cover for any gaps that arise.
a1544
Solid 2012 pick up
mattdsmith
Noice!
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
The big qualifier with Morrow. So much talent but “if he stays healthy.” This probably just ends up being an opt out.
Cam
Decent velocity out of the pen last year. If he sticks as a one-inning guy, awesome. If not, easy cut.
thinkblech
Yep, a flier on a relatively live arm, with no strings attached.
thinkblech
Well… maybe his arm is just attached by string at this point.
patborders92
Keep trying till the paycheques stop buddy, huge fan of him when he was in TO
BlueSkyLA
Brandon Morrow, Brandon McCarthy, Brandon League, Brandon Beachy, Brandon Hicks…. do we get something for collecting the entire set?
jagonza
Nice !
politicsNbaseball
I had such high hopes for Brandon Beachy
LADreamin
A full injured reserve list. Winner winner chicken dinner!
stryk3istrukuout
5 out of 6. The last piece is Brandon Moss. We would have accepted the Brett Anderson (foil), but he’s collected elsewhere.
BlueSkyLA
It’s already a flush. If you hold six Brandons, that means you are cheating.
stryk3istrukuout
let me have my moment
66TheNumberOfTheBest
He had a nice career with the Dallas Stars.
JuniorEditor
Like Brett Anderson, Mr. Morrow’s arm will fall off. Right off of his body. I’m telling ya… I give it maybe 6 innings out of the bullpen. I’m not predicting how well he’ll pitch, but I’m predicting this: his arm’s coming off. Right off of his body. Gone.
stryk3istrukuout
I think his arm then crawls off of the mound and into the stands to be held and cradled by a nurturing fan.
JuniorEditor
Cuddled and nurtured back to life, only to find second life in the beer league softball circuit….
Thronson5
But big in it but I see their reason for it. If he works out it’ll be a nice piece. I really hope they bring in another arm for the bullpen.
Ghost of Chase Utley
Yay, depth
clintwolfron
Ghost of chase utley LOL
InPolesWeTrust
Well done
Weighed
Former Mariner top draft pick.
YourDaddy
Now the Dodgers are signing Padres hand me downs? This guy couldn’t make one of the worst bullpens in baseball until the Padres started trading away anyone worth a darn. ROTFLMFAO.
LADreamin
To a minor league deal… it’s not flattering in any way to you or your team.
ottomatic
Great insight.
mcdusty31
Maybe he’ll do better on a MLB team
1988wasalongtimeago
Hahahahahaha wow
ttinsley1434
Kicking a woman when she’s down…….give her a break, she’s already a Pads fan!
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
I wonder if comments on Internet message boards are admissible in civil commitment hearings
Senioreditor
Actually he pitch quite well for the Padres last year but just couldn’t stay healthy. I live in San Diego and have followed the Padres since their inception. Until they win anything EVER, you best not compare them to the Dodgers.
davidcoonce74
To be fair, the Padres have been to the World Series more recently than the Dodgers.
norcalblue
What an idiot you are!
OCTraveler
Finally a possible arm for the pen – wonder who’ll get dumped from the 40 man. My guess would be Enrique Hernandez.
thinkblech
Just a minor league deal, so nothing is necessary yet. Not to be a wet blanket, but odds are some one hits the DL at some point, so it could take care of itself without an outright.
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Yeah you have better chances of Eibner, Segedin, and Garcia getting DFAd lol. Kikè probably has a pass until mid season lol. He also has an option year so you can probably push that off a year.
mcdusty31
I guess Enrique Hernandez’s nickname is considered a racial slur on this site…I couldn’t figure out why 3 of my comments wouldn’t post lol
rstang4
The Dodgers have signed everyone they possibly can. No different then any other year. Still going to get the same results. No ring and eliminated first round.
roadapple
Amazing agent. Knows which doors to knock on.
reflect
He might be healthy today, but there’ll be an injury to Morrow.