Padres announce roster moves
Among moves club reinstates INFs Yonder Alonso and Jedd Gyorko from 15-day DL
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres today announced they have reinstated infielders Yonder Alonso and Jedd Gyorko from the 15-day disabled list, selected right-handed pitcher Sean O'Sullivan from Triple-A Tucson, placed infielder/outfielder Kyle Blanks on the 15-day disabled list with left achilles tendonitis, optioned right-handed pitcher Miles Mikolas to Triple-A Tucson, designated infielder Pedro Ciriaco for assignment and transferred left-handed pitcher Clayton Richard from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list. Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcements.
Alonso, 26, was placed on the disabled list on June 6, retroactive to June 1, with a right-hand fracture suffered on May 31. The left-handed hitter played in four minor league games on rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Tucson, going 8-for-14 (.571) with two RBI and a run scored. In 54 games for the Padres this season, he is hitting .284 (54-for-190) with seven doubles, six home runs, 29 RBI, 22 runs scored, a .335 on-base percentage and .416 slugging percentage.
Gyorko, 24, was placed on the disabled list on June 10 with a right groin strain. The infielder recently played in two minor league games on a rehabilitation assignment with Single-A Lake Elsinore, going 4-for-7 (.571) with a double, RBI and two runs scored. Gyorko also played in one game on an earlier rehab assignment on June 26 with Double-A San Antonio. The right-handed hitter made his Major League debut for the Padres this season with a start on Opening Day, April 1, at New York-NL and has played in 60 games so far for San Diego, hitting .284 (66-for-232) with 17 doubles, eight home runs, 25 RBI, 36 runs scored, a .341 on-base percentage and a .461 slugging percentage.
O'Sullivan, 25, has made 18 starts for Tucson this season, going 7-4 with a 3.88 ERA (44 ER, 102.0 IP). The right-hander is scheduled to start the Padres 7:10 p.m. PT game against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park tonight. He was signed by the Padres as a minor league free agent on December 12, 2012 this past offseason. A native of San Diego, O'Sullivan graduated from nearby Valhalla High School in El Cajon, Calif. in 2005. Over parts of three Major League seasons with the Los Angeles Angels (2009-10) and Kansas City Royals (2010-11), he has gone 10-14 with a 6.13 ERA (132 ER, 193.2 IP) in 43 games, 34 starts.
Blanks, 26, has hit .256 (56-for-219) with 13 doubles, eight home runs, 34 RBI, 26 runs scored, a .318 on-base percentage and a .425 slugging percentage in 67 games for the Padres this season. The right-handed hitter has set career-highs so far this season in nearly every offensive category including hits, doubles, RBI, runs scored and games played. Over parts of five Major League seasons with the Padres (2009-13), he has hit .231 (149-for-644) with 35 doubles, two triples, 28 home runs, 97 RBI and 85 runs scored in 213 games played.
Mikolas, 24, appeared in his first Major League game of 2013 last night and pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Padres, recording three fly outs. His most recent stint in the Majors was his second of the season after the right-hander was previously recalled by the Padres on June 23 but did not appear in a game before being optioned back to Tucson the following day. The Jupiter, Fla. native owns a career 2-1 record with a 3.51 ERA (13 ER, 33.1 IP) in 26 Big League relief appearances for the Padres dating back to the 2012 season.
Ciriaco, 27, was hitting .238 (15-for-63) with one double, one triple, one home run, five runs scored and four RBI in 23 games for the Padres since being acquired from the Boston Red Sox via trade on June 14. Over parts of four Major League seasons with Pittsburgh (2010-11), Boston (2012-13) and San Diego (23), the right-handed infielder owns a career .279 (115-for-412) batting average with 21 doubles, six triples, four home runs and 34 RBI in 158 games. The Padres will have 10 days to either trade, release or outright the infielder to the minor leagues.
Richard, 29, was 2-5 with a 7.01 ERA (41 ER, 52.2 IP) with 24 strikeouts and 21 walks in 12 appearances, 11 starts, before being placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left shoulder strain on June 22. The left-handed pitcher owns a lifetime 46-47 record with a 4.33 ERA (413 ER, 773.1 IP) with 480 strikeouts against 263 walks over parts of six Major League seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2008-09) and Padres (2009-13).