The San Diego Padres have been seeking out anyone with a pulse who has had success at the major league level in recent history. They have already signed Jake Arrieta, continuing to send him to the mound every five days although he clearly has nothing left. Ross Detwiler, who had been released by the Marlins, signed a minor league deal with the team.
As the Padres continue to slide down the standings, they have become even more desperate to find any type of arm for the rotation. That desperation has led to another pitcher with a questionable track record in Vince Velasquez.
The #Padres signed RHP Vince Velasquez to a minor league contract today.
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 15, 2021
He is expected to be added to the Padres active 28-man roster this weekend in St. Louis and make a start during the three-game series against the Cardinals.
San Diego Padres hope to catch lightning in a bottle with Vince Velasquez
Velasquez has been a roller coaster throughout his major league career. He would show flashes of brilliance, putting together an excellent run for several starts, only to implode without warning. The Phillies finally tired of his inconsistency, releasing him on Tuesday even though he would be a free agent at the end of the year.
One can see why the Phillies would have given up on Velasquez. He had posted a 5.95 ERA and a 1.482 WHiP over his 81 innings, striking out 85 batters with 45 walks. His ERA had increased every year since 2018, and his extreme fly ball tendencies did not play well in their ballpark. It was clearly time for the Phillies to move on.
The Padres, meanwhile, do play in a larger ballpark, which could help Velasquez to tap into his potential. Likewise, it is doubtful that he could be worse than Arrieta, who has been a train wreck in his three outings in San Diego. However, with their rotation having been decimated by injury, there are few other options to choose from.
Maybe the Padres can catch lightning in a bottle with Velasquez. He has had stretches of success before and may have another when San Diego needs it most. However, if the Padres are pinning their playoff hopes on Velasquez being able to have a strong three or four start stretch, they may be in more trouble than they realize.
The San Diego Padres have signed Vince Velasquez. Their desperation to find anything to fill out the rotation continues.