The Padres are closing in on a one-year deal with right-hander Trevor Cahill, sources said Thursday night. The Vista High graduate, primarily a reliever the last two seasons, is expected to compete for a rotation job with his hometown team.
Cahill, 28, was effective in the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen last season, posting a 2.74 ERA in 50 appearances (one start). He recorded 66 strikeouts and 35 walks over 65 2/3 innings.
While relief offers a fallback option, Cahill’s experience as a starter is the biggest selling point for San Diego. The free agent received interest from at least a half-dozen teams, but the Padres, with their host of unproven arms, provide the clearest opportunity.
A second-round draft choice by Oakland in 2006, Cahill has made 174 starts over eight seasons with the Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves and Cubs. He is 63-70 with a 4.14 ERA as a starter, compared to 6-6 with a 3.24 ERA as a reliever (in 88 appearances).
Cahill experienced success early in his career. In 2010, the second-year major leaguer was an All-Star with the A’s. He would join CC Sabathia as the only pitchers since 1990 to record at least 10 wins and 30 starts in each of their first four seasons.
Cahill’s production dropped after a 2011 trade to the D-backs, who eventually demoted him to the bullpen and traded him to Atlanta in 2015. The Braves released him within weeks. He latched on the same year with Chicago, where he regained effectiveness in a relief role. Cahill has made just four starts over the last two seasons.
Like other recent Padres signings, Cahill has shown an ability to keep the ball on the ground; the sinkerballer’s 56 percent groundball rate ranked among the league leaders last season.
Cahill will join Luis Perdomo, Clayton Richard, Jhoulys Chacin, Christian Friedrich, Jarred Cosart, Paul Clemens, Tyrell Jenkins and Cesar Vargas as candidates for the Padres’ rotation.
