Padres Minor Leagues: RHP Chris Paddack Injured, Tommy John Surgery Possible
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The San Diego Padres received some terrible news recently as young pitcher Chris Paddack has a torn elbow ligament. In the post-game news conference after Saturday’s game it was revealed by A.J. Preller that Paddack does indeed have the injury. He was in San Diego visiting a doctor in an attempt to determine the next course of action. Tommy John surgery seems imminent but nothing has been decided as of yet.
A tough break for the Padres as Paddack has really taken off this year. The team had very high hopes for this young man. Not that they have given up on him, but he will be sidelined for most, if not all of the 2017 season. It will be a long road for him and we will just have to wish for the best in regards to his health.
Paddack was obtained for Fernando Rodney in late June and the former Marlins farm hand had been fantastic for the Friars. He was 2-0 on the year (in total) with a 0.82 ERA in nine starts. Paddack had 71 strikeouts in 42 innings pitched while walking five batters. Those numbers are off the charts for a 20-year-old. He is truly something special and most Padres fans were gloating over the fact the team stole him from the fish.
Chris Paddack likely headed for Tommy John surgery. Has a torn ligament in his elbow.
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) July 31, 2016
Paddack is still very young, and though this is a hard time for him, he has a bright future. This stunts his growth a bit and there will be mental hurdles for him to overcome, but he has the temperament and work-ethic to move forward. All indications are that Paddack will fully recover and should have no issues in the future with his prized arm. Unfortunately injuries are a part of the game and the Padres are not immune to the ailments that strike each and every team. The Padres do have depth though.
Losing a top pitching prospect (Padres #9 ranked) is a tough blow but the team has added so many young players in the last few months. The depth provided by the signings of Adrian Morejon, Cal Quantrill, Eric Lauer, Mason Thompson and Reggie Lawson is awesome. Factor in the players acquired via trade (Luis Castillo, Hansel Rodriguez) and the Padres have plenty of young arms to survive the loss of Paddack.
A.J. Preller is still on the prowl and he could move players like Brad Hand, Ryan Buchter, Brandon Maurer or Derek Norris before the trade deadline. Stay tuned Padres fans because it is going to get very interesting around here. Preller is on a never-ending mission to turn this franchise around. Best wishes to Chris Paddack and hopefully he will have a speedy recovery.
Chris Paddack has a UCL tear. Likely headed for Tommy John.
— Dennis Lin (@sdutdennislin) July 31, 2016
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James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.