San Diego Padres Get To Keep Pitcher Around

The San Diego Padres will be able to keep right-handed reliever Sean Poppen in the organization, as he went unclaimed on waivers and has been outrighted to the Friars' Triple-A affiliate in El Paso.  

Padres have outrighted reliever Sean Poppen to Triple-A. Opens a 40-man roster spot.
Presumably this spot is for Nelson Cruz, whose signing is expected to become official next week.

— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) January 20, 2023

The move brings the Padres' roster down to 39, which, as posited by San Diego beat writer Kevin Acee, will be necessary next week when Nelson Cruz's signing is expected to become official, and that will fill the 40-man once again. 

The Padres had claimed Poppen on waivers themselves last month, where he was placed by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He spent the 2022 season with the Snakes, getting into 29 games out of the bullpen, and registering a 4.40 ERA along with a 1.36 WHIP.

San Diego will become the 28-year-old's fifth organization in four seasons in the majors. Overall, he's tossed 67.1 innings and has a 5.08 ERA with nine strikeouts per nine innings. 

In the minors, he's fared much better, posting a 3.50 ERA across 121 innings at Triple-A, along with a 1.28 WHIP and 9.2 K/9. 

He'll likely get an invite to spring training, with an outside chance at winning a spot in the Padres' bullpen.  

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