Free agent right-hander Brandon Morrow, who has spent his entire big league career in the American League, will get a change of league and scenery next season after signing a one-year deal with the San Diego Padres Tuesday.
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The deal, which was first reported by Corey Brock of MLB.com, is worth approximately $2.5 million and includes an additional $5 million in incentives as a starter and $1 million as a reliever. The incentive-laden deal makes sense given the right-hander’s struggles in recent years since hitting his peak back in 2012 when he notched a 2.96 earned run average in 124 2/3 innings of work with the Toronto Blue Jays.
With Toronto last season, the right-hander struggled with injuries as a member of the club’s relief corps, pitching to the tune of a 5.67 ERA in just 33 1/3 innings of work. After the season, the Jays declined the club option for 2015, which may have also been triggered by the fact that Morrow wants to start – while other teams have sought his services as a reliever-only, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
His role with the Padres appears to be undecided at this point, although should he be able to maintain his health, he could provide a low-risk, high-upside option for San Diego’s starting rotation in 2015. With Josh Johnson still unsigned, the Padres head into the New Year with Andrew Cashner slotted in as the staff ace, followed by Ian Kennedy, Tyson Ross, Odrisamer Despaigne and Robbie Erlin.
It is widely expected that Johnson will eventually return to San Diego, where he signed prior to last season, which he missed due to injury. However, due to his health concerns, it is unlikely that the team will depend on much from the right-hander, which only adds value to the Morrow signing.
Since hitting a career-high 179 1/3 innings back in 2011, Morrow has seen his innings pitched decline in each of the subsequent years, with his 2014 total being a career-low for the former first-round pick of the Seattle Mariners.