The Padres introduced Thursday that they’ve designated left-hander Jackson Wolf for project. He’d been pitching for his or her Triple-A affiliate in El Paso, and his 40-man spot will go to veteran righty Carl Edwards Jr., whose contract has been chosen. San Diego optioned righty Alek Jacob to El Paso in a corresponding transfer.
Wolf, 25, was in his second stint with the Padres group. Initially their fourth-round decide in 2021, he went to the Pirates on the 2023 commerce deadline as a part of the return for lefty Wealthy Hill and first baseman Jiman Choi. The Bucs designated Wolf for project earlier this 12 months, nonetheless, and wound up buying and selling him again to the Pirates in trade for minor league infielder Kervin Pichardo.
Wolf made his large league debut with the ’23 Padres, permitting three runs over 5 innings in his lone begin. He’s spent the season with their El Paso membership however struggled to a 7.21 ERA over 83 2/3 innings. He’s made 23 appearances, 18 of them begins. Wolf has unquestionably had some robust luck, yielding a .353 common on balls in play that ought to be due for some regression, however his 17.5% strikeout charge and 12.6% stroll charge are each significantly worse than league common as properly. Wolf’s 9.8% swinging-strike charge and 24.3% opponents’ chase charge are each sub-par marks, too. Normally, he hasn’t induced whiffs or restricted free passes sufficient to compensate for the quantity of extra-base harm he’s yielded: 12 homers, 16 doubles, 5 triples.
This previous offseason, Wolf ranked twenty first amongst Pirates prospects, per Baseball America, whose scouting report tabbed him as a possible fifth starter or bulk reliever. His tough ends in 2024 haven’t achieved any favors for his prospect inventory, however Wolf is a 25-year-old who posted strong Double-A numbers in 2023 and continues to be in simply the second of three minor league possibility years. A rebuilding membership trying to top off on pitching depth (e.g. Marlins, White Sox) may have some curiosity in an optionable lefty of this nature. The commerce deadline has handed, so the Padres’ solely plan of action with Wolf shall be to position him on waivers.
Edwards, 33 subsequent month, shall be in his second stint with the Padres as properly. He briefly pitched 1 2/3 innings for San Diego again in 2019. He’s one among many former Rangers prospects who’ve discovered their approach onto the Padres roster because the hiring of president of baseball operations A.J. Preller — a former Rangers assistant GM.
Edwards spent the 2022-23 seasons with the Nationals and pitched properly out of supervisor Davey Martinez’s bullpen, tallying 93 2/3 innings of three.07 ERA ball — albeit with shaky charge stats (20% strikeout charge, 10.6% stroll charge). A stress fracture in Edwards’ proper shoulder ended his 2023 marketing campaign prematurely and restricted him to a minor league deal this previous offseason. That deal got here with the Cubs, however Edwards triggered a June opt-out in that contract after he hadn’t been added to the massive league roster and signed a minor league cope with the Padres.
It’s been an honest 12 months for the lanky right-hander down in Triple-A. Between the Cubs and Padres organizations, he sports activities a mixed 3.30 ERA however with comparable strikeout and stroll points that existed throughout his Nats run. He’s set down a good 22.2% of opponents on strikes but additionally issued walks at a grim 14.3% charge. Edwards has been a reliever for the majority of his profession however was understanding of the rotation in El Paso. He’s ticketed for the aid corps now that he’s again within the majors, however that latest work as a starter means he’s stretched out for a number of innings if wanted.