After 3 DFAs This Season, Chris Paddack Makes Surprising Next Move

July 11, 2026 , ,
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2026 hasn't gone as Chris Paddack had envisioned. And now he's made a big move.

The former highly-touted pitching prospect signed a $4 million deal to join the Miami Marlins this offseason. After just six starts and seven appearances with a 7.63 ERA with the Fish, he was designated for assignment. 

But that was only the start of his tough year. After that, he was picked up by the Cincinnati Reds, where, in three starts in six appearances, he posted a 6.04 ERA. Another DFA. Finally, a trial run with the Texas Rangers lasted just one game and four innings before he was DFA'd for a third time this season. 

He'll avoid any further devastating pink slips in the majors in 2026, as Paddack has decided to take his talents to the Samsung Lions of the KBO in Korea. 

The Lions report that the 30-year-old right-hander was courted by "multiple" Japanese and KBO teams.

He heads to Korea with an overall ERA of 6.79 this season in the majors. In eight years in MLB, he has a 4.83 ERA across 132 appearances (119 starts). 
His 8.0 K/9 vs. 2.0 BB/9 shows good control. But his 1.5 HR/9 was part of his undoing. 

His only good season in the majors was way back in 2019 as a rookie, when he posted a 3.33 ERA with the San Diego Padres, with a 153:31 K/BB ratio in 140 innings. He had much more difficult seasons the next two years, and Tommy John surgery cost him 2022 and 2023. 

Now, he'll try his hand in Asia, where there was indeed great interest in signing the free agent. According to the Samsung report, two teams from the NPB in Japan, and four teams from the KBO tried to gain his services. 

We'll have to see if Paddack is able to recover his stuff enough to ever get a chance at returning to North America. 


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