Padres Officially Release Former Dodgers Pitcher in Midst of Miracle Comeback Attempt

The Padres cut ties with the former Dodgers pitcher.

Jun 17, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; A detail view of a San Diego Padres hat on a glove in the dugout in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Padres have released a veteran pitcher looking to make a comeback after eight years away from Major League Baseball.

Right-handed pitcher Andrew Thurman, who joined the Padres on a minor league deal this offseason, has been released, per the team's transaction log on MiLB.com. He was officially released by the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, where he was recently promoted.

Thurman had a 12.08 ERA across five appearances (12.2 innings) with the Chihuahuas this season.

Andrew Thurman's Wild Career History

Thurman signed with the Padres this past January on a minor league deal. Before that, his last stint with an MLB team came in 2017.

Thurman was initially drafted by the Houston Astros in the second round of the 2013 MLB Draft. After one full season with the Astros organization, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in a five-player deal ahead of the 2015 campaign. He was ranked as the Astros' No. 16 prospect at the time of the trade.

Thurman was a top 20 prospect for the Braves in each of the next two seasons, but didn't get past the Double-A level.

He was released late in the 2016 season, and signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers before 2017.

Thurman spent one year with the Dodgers organization, still not reaching higher than Double-A. Then, after the 2017 season, he was out of MLB, signing with the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association of Professional Baseball. However, he was released prior to the start of their season.

For the next seven years, Thurman was out of the game of baseball. Then, he suddenly reappeared in 2025, signing with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

After a full season in the Atlantic League, the Padres decided to give him an opportunity on a minor league deal.

He made 25 appearances (six starts) in Double-A, going 2-6 with a 5.71 ERA and 59 strikeouts to 35 walks over 58.1 innings. He then reached Triple-A for the first time in his career, allowing 17 earned runs over 12.2 innings with eight strikeouts to 15 walks.

At 34 years old, Thurman will now head back to free agency where he'll look for another opportunity to continue his baseball career. He's still looking to reach the major league level for the first time.

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