Padres agree to terms with RHP Tim Stauffer and LHP Eric Stults on one-year contracts for 2014 season
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres today announced that they have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Tim Stauffer and left-handed pitcher Eric Stults on one-year contracts for the 2014 season, avoiding arbitration. Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcements. Following the signings, the Padres now have eight remaining arbitration-eligible players: right-handed pitchers Andrew Cashner, Luke Gregerson, Ian Kennedy and Tyson Ross, infielders Everth Cabrera and Chase Headley and infielder/outfielders Kyle Blanks and Jesus Guzman.
Stauffer, 31, went 3-1 with a 3.75 ERA (29 ER, 69.2 IP) and 64 strikeouts against 20 walks in 43 relief appearances for the Padres in 2013. The right-hander was signed to a minor league contract prior to the 2013 season and selected from Triple-A Tucson on May 17, spending the remainder of the season with San Diego. Stauffer was originally signed by the Padres as a first-round selection (fourth overall) in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Richmond and made his Major League debut for San Diego in 2005. Over parts of eight big league seasons, all with the Padres (2005-07, 2009-13), he has gone 26-32 with a 3.91 ERA (222 ER, 510.2 IP) and 368 strikeouts against 170 walks in 139 games, 70 starts.
Stults, 33, went 11-13 with a 3.93 ERA (89 ER, 203.2 IP) and 131 strikeouts against 40 walks in a team-high 33 starts for the Padres this past season. Since being acquired by the Padres off waivers from the Chicago White Sox on May 17, 2012, the left-hander has gone 19-16 with a 3.62 ERA (119 ER, 296.0 IP) and 182 strikeouts against 63 walks in 51 games, 47 starts. Originally signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as a 15th-round selection in the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Stults has accumulated a 27-26 record with a 4.05 ERA (207 ER, 459.2 IP) and 291 strikeouts against 134 walks in 94 games, 72 starts, over parts of seven Major League seasons with the Dodgers (2006-09), Colorado Rockies (2011), White Sox (2012) and Padres (2012-13).