Alexi Amarista is officially no longer the longest-tenured Padre

Alexi Amarista is officially not returning to the Padres for the 2017 season. As reported yesterday, he has agreed to a one-year Major League contract with San Diego’s NL West rival, the Colorado Rockies.

The Padres non-tendered Amarista earlier this month following a 2016 season in which he hit .257 through 65 games, splitting time between the infield and outfield, and even making his second career pitching appearance as a reliever back in June.

For a few months in the latter half of the season, Amarista became the longest-tenured Padre, having been with the team since May 3rd, 2012 when he came over from the Angels in the Ernesto Frieri trade. There was still a chance he would continue his reign as the longest-tenured Padre, if the team re-signed him this offseason, but after today that title officially becomes Robbie Erlin’s.

Amarista will join former Padres manager and recently-hired Rockies manager, Bud Black, as well as former Padres reliever Chad Qualls. They’ll host the Padres April 10th-12th for the first series between the two teams in 2017. Then they’ll return to Petco Park May 2nd-4th.