San Diego Padres: Brad Hand signs multi-year deal
After not coming to terms ahead of the arbitration numbers deadline,
the San Diego Padres signed Brad Hand to a multi-year extension.
The San Diego Padres have been exploring the trade market with elite lefty reliever Brad Hand throughout the offseason. This morning, they came to a reported deal that will ensure he remains with the San Diego Padres for the next few years.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal was the first to report the deal with the Padres. The first three years will guarantee Hand $19.75 million, with a club option for the fourth year. That will buy out the final two years of Hand’s arbitration along with one year of free agency.
Hand’s career path
Hand has followed a unique path to being one of the most highly-regarded left-handed relievers in the major leagues. He was originally drafted out of high school in Minnesota in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft by the Marlins.
The Marlins saw Hand jump up the minor leagues, ascending to the major leagues as a starter in 2011 at 21 years old. He returned to AAA for most of the 2012 season and had an injury-riddled 2013 season.
Hand spent two years as a swing man with the Marlins, he was waived before the 2016 season. The Padres picked him up and utilized him in a bullpen only role.
He’s moved into one of the best relievers in the league in that role, averaging 77 games and 84 innings over the last two seasons with a 2.56 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, posting an 8.3% walk rate and a 31.9% strikeout rate. He even took over as closer part-way through the 2017 season and proved dominant in that role, saving 21 games.
San Diego Padres current bullpen
While the rotation may be young in 2018, the Padres should have a bullpen that is both incredibly deep and incredibly talented.
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The team signed Japanese submariner Kazuhisa Makita this offseason to add to a pen that returns Hand and primary setup man Kirby Yates to their roles from 2017.
San Diego will also have young arms in Phil Maton and Jose Torres to pair with veterans Craig Stammen and Carter Capps. Newcomers Matt Strahm (from 2017 trade with the Royals) and Colten Brewer (from offseason deal with Yankees) will also vie for spots in the bullpen.
The Padres also have a depth of arms competing for the rotation that could find their way to the bullpen if they fall out of the rotation as well, giving the Padres an incredibly deep bullpen.
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Leading that bullpen will be Hand, and while his deal is certainly not going to be a hindrance if the team does choose to move him, as this deal is certainly below the market of the contracts signed this winter for older relievers who haven’t had numbers the last two seasons of Hand.