| Chris Paddack | |
|---|---|
| Paddack with the San Diego Padres in 2021 | |
| Free agent | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:January 8, 1996 Austin, Texas, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| March 31, 2019, for the San Diego Padres | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 32–36 |
| Earned run average | 4.64 |
| Strikeouts | 529 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
Christopher Joseph Paddack (born January 8,1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres,Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers.
Paddack attended Cedar Park High School in Cedar Park,Texas. [1] He committed to play college baseball for the Texas A&M Aggies. [2]
The Miami Marlins selected Paddack in the eighth round (236th overall) of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft and signed. [3] He made his professional debut that year with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Marlins where he went 4–3 with a 2.18 ERA in 11 games (seven starts). Paddack started 2016 with the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers. [4]
On June 30,2016,the Marlins traded Paddack to the San Diego Padres for Fernando Rodney. [5] He was then assigned to the Fort Wayne TinCaps. On July 30,Paddack was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. He underwent Tommy John surgery on August 15 and missed the rest of the 2016 season. [6] In nine starts between Greensboro and Fort Wayne,he posted a 2–0 record and 0.85 ERA along with 71 strikeouts. [7] The surgery forced Paddack to also miss all of 2017.
Paddack returned to the mound in 2018 with the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm. With the Storm,he pitched to a 2.24 ERA in 52 innings before being promoted to the Double-A San Antonio Missions. He was even better for the Missions,pitching to a 1.91 ERA in 38 innings before reaching his innings limit and being shut down for the remainder of the season. [8] The Padres added him to their 40-man roster after the season. [9]
Paddack was invited to spring training by the Padres in 2019 and dominated,pitching to a 3-1 record and a 1.76 ERA in 5 games,earning him a spot on the team's opening day rotation. [10] On March 31,2019,he made his major league debut with a start versus the San Francisco Giants. He allowed one run over five innings and recorded seven strikeouts. On June 12,Paddack was optioned to Lake Elsinore as a way to lessen his amount of innings pitched. [11] He was recalled on June 22. [12] During the season,he earned the nickname "Paddack Attack" for his first-pitch strike-heavy approach and relentless assault on opposing hitters with his fastball and changeup combination. [13] [14] Paddack finished with a record of 9-7 and a 3.33 ERA in 26 starts. He struck out 153 in 140+2⁄3 innings. Paddack was named the Opening day starter for the Padres in 2020. He finished 4–5 with a 4.73 ERA. Throughout the season, Paddack struggled with command as he allowed 14 home runs in just 59 innings.
On April 7, 2022, the Padres traded Paddack, Emilio Pagán, and a player to be named later to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for Taylor Rogers, Brent Rooker, and cash considerations. [15] On May 10, Paddack was put on the 10-day injured list due to a right elbow strain. He underwent his second Tommy John surgery on May 18, ending his season. [16]
On January 13, 2023, Paddack agreed to a one-year, $2.4 million contract with the Twins, avoiding salary arbitration. [17] Later that day, Paddack agreed to a three-year, $12.5 million contract extension with the Twins that bought out his two remaining arbitration-eligible years and what would have been his first year of free agency. [18] On September 24, Paddack was activated from the injured list to make his return from Tommy John surgery. [19] Paddack began the season in the Twins rotation to begin the 2024 season but suffered through another injury shortened season, appearing in only 17 games before a complete shutdown due to a forearm strain in August. Paddack was 5–3 with a 4.99 ERA and 79 strikeouts over 88+1⁄3 innings pitched. [20]
On July 28, 2025, the Twins traded Paddack and Randy Dobnak to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Enrique Jiménez. [21] [22] On September 2, Paddack was moved to the bullpen after posting a 5.40 ERA over six starts. [23] On September 9, Paddack earned his first-ever MLB save, throwing the final three innings (all scoreless) of the Tigers victory over the New York Yankees. [24]