The San Diego Padres have reached terms with outfielder Nick Castellanos, right-hander Griffin Canning and Germán Marquez, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Saturday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Padres have not yet announced the deals, which are pending physicals.
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After posting 90 wins last season and making the playoffs for the fourth time in six years, San Diego added three major league veterans to bolster its depth early in spring training.
Castellanos joined the Padres two days after the Phillies unceremoniously released the veteran slugger, ending his tumultuous tenure. Philadelphia will have to pay nearly all of Castellanos’ $20 million salary this season, while the Padres will only have to pay the major league minimum $780,000.
Castellanos is a two-time All-Star who spent the past four seasons with the Phillies after stints with the Tigers, Cubs and Reds. He has a career batting average of .272 with 250 homers and 920 RBIs, but his batting efficiency dropped dramatically last season.
He also admitted this week that he brought beer into the dugout after being pulled from a game last June. Phillies manager Rob Thomson said he was proud of Castellanos for admitting his mistake.
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After spending his career in the outfield and third base, Castellanos appears to have a chance at first base for the Padres, who are without a permanent starter at the position after parting ways with Luis Alaes.
Both Canning and Marquez have a chance to win a job in the Padres’ starting lineup, currently led by Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove and Michael King. The final two seats are up in the air, with Randy Vazquez the most likely incumbent contender for the spot.
San Diego will have a new look on the mound after Dylan Cease and closer Robert Suarez left in free agency and Yu Darvish underwent elbow surgery, but its bullpen still looks to be one of the strongest in baseball.
When Canning returns to Southern California, he could be a candidate to join the organization. The Orange County native and UCLA product spent his first six major league seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, who traded him to Atlanta in November 2024.
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He signed with the New York Mets a month later and went 7-3 with a 3.77 ERA in 16 starts last season, but ruptured his Achilles tendon in June, an injury that could delay his return to action this season.
Marquez, 31, spent the first decade of his career with the Colorado Rockies, going 68-72 with a 4.67 ERA, before joining the NL West rival. After missing most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to Tommy John surgery, the usually durable starter went 3-16 with a 6.70 ERA last season as his career imploded with the Rockies.
Marquez joined the Padres on a minor league deal. Canning will receive a one-year contract.
San Diego also added veteran slugger Miguel Andujar last week, with general manager AJ Preller making good on his promise to continue looking for veteran talent in February.
___ Associated Press MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB