Padres tender offers to six players before arbitration deadline

The arbitration deadline has come and gone, and for the Padres it pretty much went as expected. After signing two fan favorites and hopefully team staples over the next couple of years, Wil Myers and Yangervis Solarte, to extensions prior to this past season, as well as parting ways with Hector Sanchez, Christian Friedrich, and Jarred Cosart via waivers and free agency, the Padres had six players eligible for arbitration as the deadline approached: Carter Capps, Robbie Erlin, Brad Hand, Matt Sczcur, Cory Spangenberg, and Kirby Yates. All six players were tendered contracts on Friday and so far one has come to an agreement with the club.

Robbie Erlin will avoid arbitration after agreeing to a one-year contract with the Padres, though specifics have not yet been released. The left-handed pitcher missed part of 2016 and all of 2017 due to Tommy John surgery after tearing his UCL last April. In parts of four seasons with San Diego, Erlin has pitched in 30 games (25 starts) while posting a 4.54 ERA and 1.258 WHIP.

Relievers Carter Capps and Brad Hand are both in their second year of arbitration. Capps struggled in 2017 after returning from Tommy John surgery. In September he was shut down and underwent another surgery, for thoracic outlet syndrome. He should be healthy in time for Spring Training next year, and the team is optimistic for a return to form for the righty.

Hand will be due a sizable raise (he made $1.37 million in 2017) if he comes to term with the Padres. He's had back-to-back excellent seasons in San Diego, including a 2017 All-Star nod. If this past season is any indication, he will likely continue to be the target of much trade talk going into 2018.