Right-hander Julio Teheran has opted out of his minor league deal with the Padres, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. The Padres will have to decide whether or not to add the veteran to their 40-man roster or release him back into free agency.
This is the second time this script has played out this month. Teheran, 32, signed a minor league deal with the Friars in the offseason but opted out of that deal in early May. He ended up sticking with the organization as he and the club agreed to a new deal just two days later, though he has now apparently triggered an opt-out clause yet again.
It’s now possible that he and the Padres will again find common ground on a new deal that will keep the relationship going. On the other hand, there are many clubs throughout the league that are facing significant rotation challenges due to injuries while the Padres aren’t quite that desperate. Adrián Morejón and Seth Lugo are on the injured list but the club still has Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, Joe Musgrove, Michael Wacha and Ryan Weathers. There’s also Nick Martinez, who has been in the bullpen of late but could be moved back to the rotation, while Jay Groome and Pedro Avila are on the 40-man and in Triple-A. Perhaps Teheran would be interested in heading to the open market to see if he can find better opportunities with one of the 29 other clubs.
The righty has logged 40 innings in eight Triple-A starts this year, posting a 5.63 ERA in that the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He’s struck out 24.3% of batters faced while walking 8.6% and getting grounders at a 40.3% clip. He was once a mainstay of the rotation in Atlanta, logging 1,334 innings from 2013 to 2019 with a 3.64 ERA. However, he followed that up with a nightmare season for the Angels in 2020, registering a 10.05 ERA. He made one major league appearance for the Tigers in 2021 before splitting 2022 between the independent Atlantic League and the Mexican League.
Brewers should sign him need rotation help
Good call!
Anybody want Kolten Wong?
Sodo you think Wong is gone once they reinstate Dylan Moore this week? Caballero has really taken hold of the second base job.
I just can’t see him sticking around very much longer. Caballero needs to be in there as close to everyday as possible! What a pleasant surprise he’s been. The numbers speak for themself, but the intangibles that you can only see by watching him; the 12 pitch pop out today, for example. He’s just a bulldog and grinds every single pitch of the game.
Wong must be a dfa candidate? Or, maybe Scott gives him a quick look at DH…well see
With Moore coming back, Wong should be gone. Idk though, plenty of cut candidates on that bench.
Nobody SHOULD want or need Wong as bad as he’s been the past two years. I didn’t think Rougned Odor would get a steady stream of major league offers either after leaving TEX, so what do I know?
Braves reunion?
Anyone with MLB experience that is stuck in AAA and has a chance to get out should take it. Teams need pitching. San Diego might not, but half the league does.
@hiflew I would say more than half.
Nice option for Yankees.
ATL should sign him to a minor league deal and see how he responds. He may feel comfortable there and that could help him. He is striking guys out more than he used to in the minors this year and, given an opportunity I think he still could have several seasons left to pitch in MLB. Sometimes getting a call up is all a guy needs. The struggle to get back itself is a lot of pressure. People deal with doubting if they will get back. He has pitched forever. He came up at age 20 in ATL. He’s only 32.
It probably can’t hurt to bring him in on a Minors deal (except bloating your Triple-A teams ERA), but it’s hard to think he’s got anything to offer in the Majors, let alone contribute for another several seasons like you say.
He was always a guy who out-performed his peripherals, until he couldn’t anymore. He was never a velocity guy, and never had great command of what he did have – so losing a few more mph off your fastball and living around 88-89 is just asking for trouble. Even in his last few serviceable years, he was walking over 4 per 9.
Soft-tossers who give up walks and fly balls, in todays game, generally don’t hang around – even if they have tenure somewhere.
Perennially outperforming your peripherals is a sign some of the peripherals are biased against you. I say he likely has more years in the tank because he is young and has always been talented. Pitchers learn to reinvent themselves. He struck out 45 in 40 innings in AAA so I have to believe the velocity is not the biggest issue. Most people who make it to the majors as a pitcher make it because they are reasonably intelligent and talented. That and his age gives me hope he can learn how to get outs with whatever he now has or develops. He got to the big leagues at 20 as a pitcher. That speaks volumes to the talent and poise.
I think you have a good analysis of him though, overall. HRs so seem to be a big problem for him in the minors this year.
Home runs was his problem when he was in Atlanta and that was at Turner, a well known pitchers park. He will get crushed even harder in Truist especially against LH hitters as the ball flys to right field in the new ballpark. He was good in Atlanta during his prime, but I just don’t see Tehran making a good contribution to this team outside of just being an innings eater. They can fill that role internally.
Good point about the HRs. I dont mean I think he’s gonna contribute this season I just mean I think he’ll get back and could end up pitching more years. I also just mean to take a gamble on him. The money would be so minimal. Truist is good for HRs to right but it plays very fair overall (at least in terms of runs). I believe in was exactly neutral (100) over the last 3 seasons
Phillies need a 5th
The Tigers could definitely use another decent starting pitcher, but Teheran isn’t like to be any better than what they already have. Probably a lot worse.
Once the #1 prospect in baseball, iirc. So long ago though.
He peaked at the #4 prospect on one list and #5 on the other 2 back before the 2012 season.
Not surprising. He has pitched about league average in the PCL and with so many teams having injuries to multiple starters he is hoping to catch on with one for at least a few starts.
Braves reunion maybe? We just need an innings eater to get us out of these dreaded bullpen games. The offense will most of the time do it’s part, no risk/reward type thing. Could also help the younger guys in the minors. I like it.
If you keep a piece of tape over the e.r.a. category The Rockies are desperate for a warm arm.
I agree. COL needs anyone with a pulse (except MadBum apparently) to eat some innings. First Anderson, then Cessa, and now there’s no reason not to give Teheran a whirl.
He’s toast.
If he is getting lit up in AAA, he isn’t going to help you in the big leagues.
He wasn’t.
He was a human gas lamp.
I might be old school, but a 5.63 ERA is getting lit up like a Cuban in AAA in my book.
You’re looking at his season line, not per game. All it takes is one terrible game to make a small sample season line look bad.
He was a pinada.
Blindfolded kids could smack him around. Ole!
Pitched damn well tonight.
Jays need a long man out of the pen. Unless you think Hatch is that guy.
Teheran could be bailing from a sinking ship.
Thoughts?
Take back what you said about Juan Soto. TAKE IT BACK!