Triston McKenzie signs Minor League deal with San Diego Padres: reports

Starting pitcher Triston McKenzie, formerly of the Cleveland Guardians, has agreed to a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres, according to international media reports on Thursday.

Before becoming a free agent this winter, McKenzie, 28, had spent his entire career with the Guardians, starting 80 games in 88 appearances over six seasons.

He compiled a 21-29 record with a 4.07 ERA and 462 strikeouts in 442 innings pitched.

In 2022, McKenzie notched 190 strikeouts with a 2.96 ERA, finishing 11-11, before injuries disrupted his momentum.

An upper back ailment kept him out for much of 2023, and after returning, he suffered a sprained right ulnar collateral ligament, which cost him nearly the entire season.

McKenzie struggled in 2024, recording a 5.11 ERA and a 3-5 record across 16 major league starts, and finished the season in Triple-A. In 2025, he pitched only 5 2/3 innings in four relief appearances for the Guardians.

Prior to his assignment, he posted an ERA of 11.12 and a WHIP of 2.471, returning to the Guardians’ farm system for the remainder of the season.

Despite being out of options, the Guardians chose not to give up on him, and McKenzie avoided arbitration in November 2024 with a $1.95 million deal for 2025, a modest increase over the $1.6 million he earned the previous year.