San Diego Padres keeping up in NL West arms race

The literal arms race in the NL West shows no signs of slowing down. After the San Diego Padres completely overhauled, and upgraded, their rotation, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Trevor Bauer. The figurative ball was back in the Padres’ court as they sought to keep pace.

On Friday, the Padres made their move. They added to their bullpen depth by signing Mark Melancon, giving them another possible option for the ninth inning.

Where Mark Melancon fits with San Diego Padres

Melancon had a typically solid year for the Braves in 2020. He posted a 2.78 ERA and a 1.279 WHiP in his 22.2 innings while notching 11 saves. While he struck out only 14 batters while issuing seven walks, he continued to generate ground balls at an impressive rate.

He easily has the most closing experience in the Padres’ bullpen as it is currently constituted. A three time All Star, Melancon led the league with 51 saves in 2015, and has recorded 205 saves in his career. However, his ascension to the ninth inning is not a given, as Drew Pomeranz and Emilio Pagan are also expected to be factors.

There are reasons to be concerned with Melancon in the ninth inning. He does not have the typical closer’s velocity and does not generate many swinging strikes. As a ground ball and contact oriented pitcher, he is beholden to his defense and the variances of the batted ball. However, the Padres have an excellent infield defense, so that should not be a problem.

Melancon also does not have to be slotted into the ninth. He has experience in a variety of roles in the bullpen, and could easily serve as a setup man or a middle reliever. He gives San Diego yet another experienced arm in a deep bullpen, ready to be summoned whenever the situation requires.

The San Diego Padres have continued the NL West arms race. They have signed Mark Melancon to add more depth to their bullpen.