Left-hander Drew Pomeranz has been coping with elbow discomfort whereas rehabbing with Triple-A El Paso, and Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune (X link) reviews that Pomeranz’s season is formally over. The southpaw already hasn’t seen any motion since pitching a scoreless inning for El Paso on September 3.
Pomeranz is heading without spending a dime company, as his four-year, $34MM contract with the Padres is up after the season. The deal amounted to 44 1/3 reduction innings for San Diego over the 2020-21 seasons, as Pomeranz hasn’t appeared in a Main League sport since August 2021 because of flexor tendon surgical procedure after which a number of setbacks because of lingering soreness. He underwent one other elbow surgical procedure again in Could, and he solely returned in late August to make 4 minor league appearances earlier than being shut down but once more.
Pomeranz turns 35 in November, and between his age, two misplaced seasons, and a left elbow that also doesn’t appear to be 100%, it isn’t out of the query that the left-hander would possibly take into account retirement. The fifth total decide of the 2010 draft and a veteran of 11 Main League seasons, Pomeranz battled to search out consistency as a starter for a lot of his profession, although his highs included an All-Star look in 2016 (throughout his first stint with the Padres). After he struggled as a starter in 2018-19, he seemingly discovered a second chapter as a full-time reliever with the Brewers through the 2019 marketing campaign, which prompted San Diego to take the $34MM plunge on his providers within the 2019-20 offseason.
Given his previous monitor report, Pomeranz might nonetheless get some appears on a minor league contract this winter, supplied he is ready to get wholesome. A no-risk minors deal leaves some wiggle room for a staff if Pomeranz’s elbow issues do proceed, and a brand new membership might no less than get some probability to guage Pomeranz first-hand to see if a comeback is feasible or possible.
