Padres News: Bob Melvin Applauds Jay Groome's Play In Peoria Thus Far
2022 saw the arrival of 24-year-old Jay Groome to San Diego through a deal with the Boston Red Sox. He showed promise early on but consistent injuries each year prompted Boston's front office to shop him around and eventually found a suitor in the Padres.
In attempt to get him comfortable on the field again and monitor his health, the Padres first had him in the minor leagues where he was able to start consistently and posted a 3.16 ERA over a 10-game stretch. This play made him stand out and the Friars decided to add him to the Spring Training roster.
Groome has only continued the momentum he had in the minor leagues as he has pitched 6.2 innings so far for the Padres and has not allowed a single hit in any of them. His performances have caught the eyes of many, most notably being team manager Bob Melvin.
Provided by '97.3 The Fan', Melvin was ecstatic when talking about how Groome has fit in effortlessly and talked about how deep he believes his bag of tricks is.
"There's a lot to like about him," said Melvin. "He seems like he's really confident. He's got some deception, some right at the top of the zone. He's got a breaking ball he can throw down into righty and away. He's on a mission to open some eyes here so the more you see him, the more you like him."
Groome will obviously have to gain the trust and respect of many others in order to secure a roster spot with the Padres for the season, but Melvin is a terrific start. If he continues this shutout pitching, their front office will have a clear decision to make in front of them.
