Padres sending Ryan Weathers down to Triple-A El Paso

Some fans might be surprised by this move but the San Diego Padres are optioning Ryan Weathers to Triple-A El Paso before tonight’s game at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs. Tom Cosgrove, who has a 0.00 ERA in 7.1 innings with the Chihuahuas, is replacing the 23-year-old on the roster.

Weathers wasn’t a guarantee to make the Padres Opening Day roster but he made some changes in the offseason and benefitted from Joe Musgrove starting the year on the IL due to a fractured toe.

The expectation for Weathers at the back of the rotation was to give Bob Melvin and Ruben Niebla five or so innings each start before handing it off to the bullpen. Weathers did that (and more), as he worked into the sixth inning in his third start and didn’t allow more than two runs in any outing.

Once Musgrove returned in Arizona, Weathers moved to the bullpen and made two appearances—his last coming on Tuesday night when he pitched a scoreless inning.

Weathers being sent to the minors shouldn’t come as a huge surprise because the Padres likely want him to stay built up as a starter in case injuries occur. The bullpen should be strong enough to perform without him pitching an inning every few days.

I’d be very surprised if Weathers doesn’t see Petco Park again this season.