Miami Marlins, right-handed starting pitcher Chris Paddack agree to one-year deal
The Miami Marlins have reunited with one of their former top pitching prospects, ex-Twin Chris Paddack, agreeing to a one-year, $4 million deal with the righty, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman. The Marlins, who needed to add an established starting pitcher after trading Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs and Ryan Weathers to the New York Yankees, will likely slot Paddack into the back-end of their rotation behind Eury Pérez, Sandy Alcantara, Braxton Garrett and Max Meyer.
On Opening Day 2022, the Twins acquired Paddack, along with right-handed reliever Emilio Pagán and righty pitching prospect Brayan Medina, from the San Diego Padres in exchange for left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers, who returned to the Twins on a one-year deal this offseason, and outfielder Brent Rooker. It marked the second trade Paddack has been part of in his career, as the Marlins traded him to the Padres at the 2016 Trade Deadline for right-handed closer Fernando Rodney.
New Marlin Chris Paddack failed to live up to expectations with Twins
Paddack never lived up to the Twins' expectations during his tenure with Minnesota. The righty made just five starts in 2022 before having to undergo his second Tommy John Surgery. He returned to big-league action as a reliever at the end of the 2023 season, making just two regular-season appearances before making another two during the postseason. During the 2023 ALDS against the Houston Astros, the righty pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings during Game 1 and 2 1/3 scoreless innings during Game 4.
In 2024, Paddack suffered another brutal injury, a forearm strain, limiting him to 17 starts in which he posted a 4.99 ERA in 88 1/3 innings. He finally had a healthy season in 2025, but he struggled significantly, posting a 4.95 ERA in 111 innings across 21 starts with Minnesota before being traded, along with right-handed pitcher Randy Dobnak, to the Detroit Tigers in late July for catching prospect Enrique Jimenez, who hit an outstanding .269/.431/.551 with six homers and 18 RBI in 102 plate appearances across 23 games with Low-A Fort Myers last year.
The Tigers didn't get what they wanted out of Paddack, as the ex-Twin had an awful 6.32 ERA in 47 innings with Detroit last season. The Tigers moved him to their bullpen near the end of the season, and he failed to crack Detroit's playoff roster due to his significant struggles.