Padres reinstate five players from 60-day DL and designate LHP Josh Spence and OF Blake Tekotte for assignment
SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Padres today announced they have reinstated five players from the 60-day disabled list, including left-handed pitcher Cory Luebke, right-handed pitcher Joe Wieland, catcher Nick Hundley and infielder/outfielders Kyle Blanks and James Darnell. In addition, the club has designated left-handed pitcher Josh Spence and outfielder Blake Tekotte for assignment. Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcements.
Luebke, 27, made five starts for the Padres in 2012, going 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA (9 ER/31.0 IP). The southpaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 2 with a strained left elbow and was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on May 20. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on his left elbow on May 23.
Wieland, 22, made his Major League debut for the Padres in 2012. Over five starts for San Diego he went 0-4 with a 4.55 ERA (14 ER/27.2 IP). The right-hander also made two starts for Triple-A Tucson to start the year. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 10 with a strained right elbow and was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on June 26. Wieland underwent seasoning-ending Tommy John surgery in July this past season.
Hundley, 29, played in 58 games for the Padres this past season, hitting .157 (32-for-204) with three home runs and 22 RBI. The right-handed hitter was optioned to Triple-A Tucson on June 30 and recalled on August 9. Hundley was placed on the 15-day disabled list on August 17 with a right knee bruise and transferred to the 60-day disabled list on August 27. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on August 29.
Blanks, 26, played in four games for the Padres in 2012 before being placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 14 with a strained left shoulder, missing the remainder of the season. The right-handed hitter was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on May 2 after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder on April 24.
Darnell, 25, played in seven games for the Padres in 2012, hitting .235 (4-for-17) with a double and a home run. He began the season with Triple-A Tucson, hitting .267 (31-for-116) with six doubles and seven home runs in 31 games. He was recalled from Tucson on May 11 before being placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 18 with a subluxation of his left shoulder. Darnell was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on May 28 and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder on August 29.
Spence, 24, has played in 51 Major League games for San Diego from 2011-12, going 0-3 with a 3.15 ERA (14 ER/40.0 IP) and 41 strikeouts against 24 walks. After being selected in the ninth-round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft by the Padres, he has gone 9-5 with a 2.98 ERA (40 ER/120.2 IP) and 120 strikeouts against 38 walks in 76 games, nine starts, over parts of three minor league seasons.
Tekotte, 25, has hit .163 (8-for-49) in 30 Major League games played over parts of two seasons, 2011-12, with San Diego. He was selected by the Padres in the third-round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. The left-handed hitter has hit .269 (519-for-1929) with 112 doubles, 17 triples, 65 home runs, 242 RBI, 326 runs scored and 110 stolen bases in 502 minor league games played over parts of five minor league seasons (2008-12) in the Padres organization.
With today’s transactions the Padres have reinstated all remaining players from the 60-day disabled list and currently have a full 40-man roster.