San Diego Padres Interested in Doug Fister
New reports suggest that the San Diego Padres have an interest in starting pitcher Doug Fister along with Jake Peavy and Jered Weaver.
Now a week into the new year, most of the top free agents have found new homes and teams are beginning the final push to complete their rosters. For the San Diego Padres, this means possibly adding another starting pitcher or two, and FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal has tweeted that Doug Fister is the latest name on their list. He also notes the team’s interest in Jake Peavy and Jered Weaver, with Weaver being the least likely acquisition.
Doug Fister may not be a high-profile free agent, but he certainly comes with his merits. Not too long ago, he served as a quality contributor to the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals. Back in 2011, for example, he posted a 2.83 earned run average with four strikeouts for every walk. By preventing base runners and keeping the ball on the ground, FanGraphs valued his contributions near the top of the league at 5.1 wins above replacement.
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Unfortunately, his more recent work has been rather lackluster. After a productive 2014, he finished 2015 in the bullpen for the Washington Nationals, and Fister failed to gain any value through 32 starts with the Houston Astros last year. In both seasons, the righty posted an earned run average north of four along with diminished strikeouts and increased hits and walks.
While these are clearly less than ideal, there are some reasons for hope. His fastball velocity increased a bit last season, although it is still down a few ticks from its peak. Better yet, batters had a more difficult time making contact on his pitches last season than during the year prior, but the figures still have room for improvement.
For the San Diego Padres, Doug Fister represents a chance to land a durable starting pitcher for a rotation that has plenty of question marks. As Charlie Wilmoth of MLB Trade Rumors comments, the Padres have few established starters beyond Jhoulys Chacin. Fister, who will turn 33 next month, should be a low-cost option for more depth with the potential of a resurgence.
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As for the other pitchers that Rosenthal mentioned in his report, they all more or less fit the same mold. Jake Peavy and Jered Weaver both have seen their performance turn for the worse these last few years despite once being elite pitchers. They are also both right-handed starters with plenty of experience and advanced age, much like Doug Fister. The San Diego Padres may be hoping that they can fetch one or more of the three for a low price and add some innings to their rotation.