Padres Linked to $7M Former Top Prospect Pitcher in Free Agency

The San Diego Padres have had to watch stars either leave town as free agents or opt to sign elsewhere recently.

Neither of those scenarios have helped rebuild the rotation which could use some help on the back end.

The latest name to be linked to the Padres is right-hander Spencer Turnbull, who was once the Detroit Tigers' sixth-ranked prospect in 2016.

Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors connected the veteran starter to San Diego when he predicted the Friars to land him in free agency on a one-year, $7 million deal.

Turnbull has made an impressive recovery after missing part of 2021 and all of 2022 due to Tommy John surgery. He struggled in 2023, posting a 7.26 ERA across seven starts, but turned things around in 2024. The 32-year-old started the year in the rotation before transitioning to the bullpen, finishing with a 1.67 ERA over six starts.

Turnbull's 2023 season was plagued with an injury that he kept quiet.

The Tigers attempted to option Turnbull in May that season after he posted a 7.26 ERA in seven starts. However, Turnbull revealed he had been pitching through an injury, leading to a series of discussions. After hiring agent Scott Boras, Turnbull underwent further evaluations, and the Tigers ultimately rescinded the option.

At the end of the season, Turnbull disclosed that he had fractured his neck and torn ligaments around his C6 vertebrae from an incident earlier in the season when he avoided a line drive against the Boston Red Sox.

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Turnbull regretted not speaking up about it.

“I should have spoken up about it,” Turnbull said in May 2023. “I shouldn’t have tried to play through it. That was on me for not saying something about it sooner, just trying to be tough.”

A few months later, in August, a similar issue occurred when the Tigers optioned Turnbull following his minor-league rehab assignment. He revealed he had been pitching with a toenail avulsion.

By November, Turnbull filed a grievance with the Major League Baseball Players Association. The Tigers eventually agreed to grant him a full year of service time.

In 17 appearances (seven starts) with the Philadelphia Phillies last season, Turnbull went 3-0 with a 2.65 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP, striking out 58 batters in 54.1 innings. With the Padres in need of help in their rotation, Turnbull could be a solid solution.

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