What’s the fit for three newest Padres?

This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat publication. To learn the total publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it repeatedly in your inbox.

Busy getting your vacation procuring executed this week? So are the Padres, it appears.

The membership introduced the Carpenter signing on Tuesday, with the Lugo deal anticipated to comply with later this week. Severino is on a Minor League contract, and he’ll be among the many group’s Spring Training non-roster invitees. Each of the signings addresses a key space of want for San Diego. Here’s a take a look at how the three latest Padres match with the group’s plans for 2023:

Seth Lugo, 33, RHP (3.60 ERA, 1.17 WHIP in 65 innings with the Mets in 2022)

The Padres wanted pitching — and Lugo actually helps fill that void. But the place, precisely?

Lugo — whose contract is for 2023 with a participant possibility for the ’24 season, per sources — spent the previous two years pitching solely out of the bullpen with the Mets. But the Padres have a a lot larger want of their rotation, and the right-hander does boast a modicum of beginning expertise. As such, San Diego will give Lugo an opportunity to begin (although his profession numbers have been a lot better as a reliever).

It’s not a lot of a danger, actually. The Padres want beginning pitching, and Lugo boasts a four-pitch combine that makes him able to dealing with such a job. If he have been to wrestle within the rotation, it’s attainable he might shift to a high-leverage middle-innings position out of the bullpen.

Lugo owns a 2.91 ERA in 300 profession innings as a reliever. If that’s the worst-case situation, that’s not a nasty draw back.

Matt Carpenter, 37, UTIL (.305/.412/.727, 15 house runs in 154 plate appearances with the Yankees in 2022)

It’s virtually not essential the place Carpenter finally ends up taking part in for the Padres in 2023. This lineup wanted some left-handed-hitting depth, and a three-time All-Star will present precisely that.

The likeliest match for Carpenter seems to be at designated hitter, particularly in opposition to right-handed pitching. But if the Padres have been so as to add one other bat — maybe a fourth outfielder — they’d have the choice of utilizing Carpenter at first base every now and then. In that situation, Jake Cronenworth might slide to second, with Ha-Seong Kim coming off the bench in opposition to more durable right-handers.

On high of that, effectively, it’s all the time helpful to have depth — and Carpenter can again up at second, third and each outfield corners. He brings a wealth of postseason expertise to San Diego and is coming off a resurgent season with the Yankees (previous to breaking his left foot in early August).

Like Lugo, Carpenter’s deal is for 2023 with a participant choice to return for the ’24 season.

Pedro Severino, 29, C (.248/.308/.383, 11 house runs in 419 plate appearances with the Orioles in 2021)

Severino was suspended for 80 video games in the course of the 2022 season after testing constructive for a performance-enhancing substance and solely performed in eight video games with Milwaukee. But previous to his tribulations final season, Severino had developed right into a helpful backstop with Baltimore and must be seen as further catching depth for San Diego.

Austin Nola and Luis Campusano are nonetheless anticipated to function the Padres’ high catching choices coming into the season, however after the group non-tendered Jorge Alfaro, Severino fills a void behind these two.

Severino’s contract is a break up deal — a Minor League contract that might pay him $1.95 million if he have been to succeed in the Majors. There’s a definite risk that he’ll, too. The Padres have loads of roster flexibility elsewhere, and by including an additional catcher, it would make them extra more likely to begin Campusano at DH in opposition to left-handed pitching (presumably in a platoon with Carpenter).