The Luis Sardiñas experiment is over, for the time being. After the Padres claimed utility infielder Chase d’Arnaud off waivers, the team announced today that Sardinas has been designated for assignment. The move cleared a spot on both the 40-man and 25-man rosters, and now the team has a ten-day period to determine Sardiñas’ near future. If he goes unclaimed, the Padres can offer him assignment to a minor league team, and should be decline the offer he would become a free agent.
Luis Sardiñas came to the Padres in a waiver claim last year, and he impressed with the playing time he was given late in the season. Over 34 games with the Padres, he hit .287/.353/.417 with three stolen bases while showing some promise at shortstop and second base. He was the incumbent option in a cloud shortstop picture this spring, only made more complicated by the addition of veteran Erick Aybar on a minor league contract. Aybar played well and impressed coaches through March, earning him the starting role on the big league team, while Sardiñas’ poor performance moved him to a backup utility player role. The emergence of Rule 5 draftee Allen Cordoba pushed Sardiñas to the end of the bench. Now, after the better part of a year with the Padres, Sardiñas’ big league future is now a big question.
Chase d’Arnaud is a 30-year-old utility infielder who has seen MLB action in parts of six seasons. His waiver claim by the Padres is his second of the season, as he was claimed by the Red Sox from the Braves back on April 27th. He’s played most of his innings at shortstop but also has MLB experience at second, third, and all three outfield positions. The right-handed hitter’s career line of .233/.289/.314 doesn’t suggest that he’ll vulture much playing time from the players currently on the roster, so he’ll likely be used more as a late-inning defensive replacement, similar to how Sardiñas had been used early in the season. The native southern Californian announced his arrival in a pretty sweet way on Twitter:
Overjoyed to play with the @Padres ! Raised in Southern California, I look forward to help the club in every way that I possibly can. pic.twitter.com/KOIfgo0kJ3
— Chase d'Arnaud (@chasedarnaud) May 21, 2017
In the injured pitchers department, Trevor Cahill is still experiencing discomfort in his right shoulder, and he’s going to have an MRI to ensure that there are no structural concerns in the area. Carter Capps had been pitching in extended spring training after some minor league outings earlier this month, and while there are no reports of aggravations, he’s being transferred to the 60-day DL presumably for roster flexibility. He’s been on the DL since March 30th, so he could be eligible to come off the DL as soon as the end of May.
Capps’ addition to the 60-day DL opens up a 40-man roster spot. With the shaky status of the starting rotation, a minor league player such as Matt Magill or Dinelson Lamet could get the call to join the big league team soon.