Padres demote Eguy Rosario, five others; roster down to 51
Credit: 210 Gameday
The San Diego Padres optioned three players to Triple-A and reassigned three more to minor league camp on Wednesday.
With eight days remaining until Opening Day, the San Diego Padres trimmed their roster down to 51 players. Pitchers Ray Kerr and Kyle Tyler and infielder Eguy Rosario were the three players optioned to Triple-A El Paso. Outfielder Thomas Milone, infielder Aderlin Rodríguez and pitcher Matt Waldron were reassigned to minor league camp.
Kerr was acquired in the Adam Frazier deal following the 2021 season. The 27-year-old southpaw went 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA in 36 games, including one start, across Double-A and Triple-A last season.
The Padres recently claimed Kyle Tyler off waivers from the Boston Red Sox, spinning a 2.92 ERA in five relief appearances with the Los Angeles Angels last season. In 12.1 innings, the 25-year-old allowed eight hits, four earned runs, and an even six-to-six strikeout-to-walk ratio. Tyler will look to stay settled with the Padres after being on three different teams in four days.
Rosario had a real opportunity to break camp with the big league club, but the Padres will have to look outside their 40-man roster for the final infield spot. The 22-year-old was initially signed as an international free agent in August 2015. He spent all of last season in Double-A San Antonio, posting a .270/.343/.404 slash line with 31 doubles, 12 home runs, and 61 RBIs. He also swiped 30 bases.
Padres manager Bob Melvin hinted that CJ Abrams could be a candidate to make the Opening Day roster in Fernando Tatis’ absence while also providing depth in center field.
Padres roster moves:
LHP Ray Kerr, RHP Kyle Tyler & infielder Eguy Rosario optioned to Triple-A El Paso; OF Thomas Milone, infielder Aderlin Rodriguez & RHP Matt Waldron reassigned to minor league camp.
There are 51 players still in big-league camp with eight days until opener.— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) March 30, 2022
The Padres' decision to option Eguy Rosario means the last infield spot will go to a player not currently on the 40-man roster. They'll either make a transaction, or the spot will go to one of the non-roster IFs in camp: Matt Batten, C.J. Hinojosa, Domingo Leyba or…
CJ Abrams.— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) March 30, 2022
Signed to a minor league deal shortly after the New Year, Milone slashed an impressive .280/.374/.450 line, with ten home runs, 38 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases in 96 games between the Yankees’ Double-A and Triple-A outfits last season.
Nicknamed “A-Rod,” the 30-year-old Rodriguez began his professional career in July 2008, signing a minor league deal with the New York Mets organization. Since then, the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native has also spent time with the Mariners, Orioles, Tigers, and the Orix Buffaloes of the Nippon Professional Baseball league. Signed to a minor league deal in mid-March, Rodriguez is in his second stint with the Padres. He hit for a robust .290 batting average with 29 home runs and 94 RBIs in 116 Triple-A games last season.
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Drafted in the 18th round by the then-Cleveland Indians, Matt Waldron is still relatively young at 25 years of age. He was the player to be named in the Mike Clevinger deal and began the 2021 season at High-A Fort Wayne, pairing a 3.24 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 13 starts before he was elevated to Double-A. Things didn’t go as well in San Antonio, as Waldron was also sidelined with shoulder issues. He went 0-6 with a 6.61 ERA in seven starts, despite striking out 31 batters in 31.1 innings of work.
Padres writer/editor for East Village Times. LA Kings writer/editor for Hockey Royalty. IBWAA member.