The Padres are taking a low-risk, high-upside swing on right-hander Triston McKenzie, inking the 28-year-old to a minor league deal with an invite to big league spring training.
For McKenzie, this marks the first time he’ll wear a uniform other than Cleveland’s. He spent his entire career with the Guardians organization before hitting free agency at the end of this past season. And while the recent trajectory of his career has been rocky, there was a time not long ago when McKenzie looked like one of the most promising young arms in the game.
Back in 2022, McKenzie was flat-out dealing. He logged 191 1/3 innings with a sharp 2.96 ERA, striking out over a quarter of the batters he faced while keeping walks to a minimum.
That season, he looked every bit like a future top-of-the-rotation presence-poised, efficient, and electric. But since then, the road has been anything but smooth.
Injuries started to pile up in 2023. First came a teres major strain in spring training that shut him down before the season even began.
Then, just as he worked his way back, he was hit with an elbow sprain-specifically, the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm. He managed to avoid Tommy John surgery, but the damage was done.
He never quite regained his form.
In 2024, McKenzie returned to the mound, but the velocity dip was glaring. His fastball averaged just 91.1 mph, down from 92.5 mph in 2022. Over 16 starts, he posted a 5.11 ERA, and by season’s end, he was back in Triple-A, where things didn’t get much better-he carried a 5.23 ERA there as well.
Still, Cleveland wasn’t ready to cut ties heading into 2025. They agreed to a $1.95 million deal to avoid arbitration-only a modest raise from the previous year.
McKenzie opened the year in the Guardians’ bullpen but struggled immediately, giving up seven earned runs in just 5 2/3 innings. That led to a DFA, and no team claimed him off waivers.
From there, it was a long climb back. He was sent to the Complex League, a move that signaled just how far he’d fallen, before eventually landing in Triple-A Columbus in August.
In eight relief outings there, he threw seven innings, allowing six earned runs. The strikeouts were still there (11), but so were the control issues-17 walks, one hit batter, and five wild pitches in that short span.
Now, he gets a fresh start in San Diego.
For the Padres, this is the kind of move that makes sense on multiple levels. There’s no financial risk on a minor league deal, and if McKenzie can find even a glimpse of his old self, the upside is real. He’s still relatively young, and if he earns a spot on the roster and performs, the Padres could retain him through arbitration for 2027.
As for his role? That’s still a bit of a mystery.
McKenzie was a starter for most of his career, but in 2025 he worked out of the bullpen-more out of necessity than design, given he was out of minor league options. The Padres could look to stretch him out again, especially with some depth questions in the rotation.
But with a strong bullpen already in place-even after losing Robert Suarez-he could also be a multi-inning relief option if things click.
At this point, both sides are just looking for a spark. For McKenzie, it’s a chance to reboot a career that once looked so promising.
For the Padres, it’s a no-risk bet on a talented arm trying to find his way back. Whether it’s in the rotation, the bullpen, or somewhere in between, any contribution from McKenzie would be a win.