San Diego Padres: Cahill Signed, Possible Return to Rotation?

The San Diego Padres sealed a deal with veteran right-hander Trevor Cahill. Despite Cahill’s recent success in the bullpen, could a move back to the rotation be on the horizon?

The efforts to solidify the pitching staff have preoccupied the San Diego Padres this offseason. Chasing after and signing Clayton Richard, Jhoulys Chacin, and Tyrell Jenkins, the club has compensated for the loss of Tyson Ross to free agency.

This week, one more move was made which will make Spring Training a whole lot more interesting. Signing free agent Trevor Cahill to a one-year deal, the Padres will now have yet another name being tossed around for a possible rotation spot.

The contract is worth $1.75 million in guaranteed money, but bonuses are possible depending on how many appearances Cahill makes for the club.

To make room for Cahill on the roster, the Padres designated outfielder Jabari Blash for assignment.

As for Cahill, the 28-year-old is an eight year veteran, spending time with four different clubs. His career ERA is a respectable 4.05, but his past two seasons with the Chicago Cubs have been his strongest.

What makes the right-hander most intriguing is his versatility. While much of his success came in 2015 and 2016 in the bullpen, Cahill has made 174 career starts as opposed to just 88 relief appearances.

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Reports have surfaced in the past which indicate that Cahill is interested in starting again as he did in Oakland, Arizona, and Atlanta. With this in mind, a move to San Diego is logical. With several rotation spots up for grabs, putting on a Padres uniform is Cahill’s best opportunity to return to a major league rotation.

And given his ability, this should be a welcomed sight for fans. If nothing else, Cahill gives the organization another option, and provides more competition this spring. With other pitchers such as Luis Perdomo, Christian Friedrich, as well as Chacin also in the mix, the pressure is off due to increased depth.

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With less than a month remaining until pitchers and catchers report, the addition of Cahill is likely the last major pitching acquisition. It couldn’t come at a better time though, as the Padres were stretched a bit thin as far as the rotation was concerned. With the right-hander, they either have a third or fourth starter with potential, or an effective and reliable reliever.