Padres has released midfielder Adam Engelfollow him transaction tracking at MLB.com. He’s been assigned to duty at the weekend.
Engel, 31, was signed this winter to a major league deal with a $1 million guarantee, just slightly above the $720k minimum for this season. Unfortunately, he strained his hamstring during spring training and started the season with an injury list. He returned in early May and didn’t really have any game time, making six appearances in five games before his recent transfer assignment.
The club has a number of uncertainties on the pitch as it enters the season, such as Fernando Tatis Jr. There are still 20 games left after the suspension from last season. However, he was back in the squad by the time Engel was off the injury list, joining Juan Soto And Trent Grisham outside in the yard. Looks like the club likes to roll with Jose Azocar as its fourth quarterback and will let Engel walk.
Prior to joining the Padres, Engel spent his entire career with the White Sox, largely playing the role of an early gloved quarterback. His career hit of 0.224/.279/.349 translates to 71 wRC+, showing him 29% below the overall league average. However, he stole 47 bases and received a positive rating from his enhanced defense stats. In 3715 2/3 plays in 528 career games, he amassed 53 above-average overruns, 20 saved defensive runs and a score of 2.3 from the final Regional Ranking. . Statcast put his sprint speed in the 92nd percentile last year.
Even if Padres managed to get through Engel through a full waiver, he still has more than 5 years of major league service, giving him the right to decline the mandate outright in favor of freedom. . Now that Engel has been released, they will continue to pay him while allowing another club to sign him with a stipulated league minimum for any length of time. he is on the active list, with that amount deducted from the amount due to be paid by the Brethren. Now, he will head to the open market to find a team that is in need of a fast midfielder for that team’s bench.
