According to Aaron Hancock of NBC 14, Jerad Eickhoff has agreed to a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres. The deal includes an invitation to major league camp.
Eickhoff – 29 – spent parts of five seasons with the Phillies after being acquired in the Cole Hamels trade. Initially very effective, the Evansville, Indiana product seemed like a promising young pitcher as of 2016. Though his FIP typically sat above 4, Eickhoff’s curve-ball was very effective when it was on.
Following a disappointing 2017, Eickhoff’s 2018 turned into a lost season in which he struggled with carpal tunnel syndrome. Eickhoff would ultimately throw just 5.1 rather ineffective innings in September of 2018. The righty found himself in AAA to start 2019 but was back with the big league club by mid April. After a solid bullpen outing in which he allowed 0 runs and struck out four through four innings, Eickhoff was slated back into the rotation.
After a few solid starts, the wheels came off the bus for Eickhoff. At one point, he allowed 18 home-runs in 28 innings.
San Diego is a good place for Eickhoff to get back on track. Petco Park is a pitcher’s paradise known for ocean air that assists pitchers with fly ball tendencies such as Eickhoff. GM A.J. Preller was also assistant GM in Texas when the Rangers selected him in the draft.
In the Phillies sense, Eickhoff’s departure highlights that the Cole Hamels trade ultimately didn’t yield too much. Alec Asher was DFA’d after a handful of starts, Nick Williams has underwhelmed, Thompson was ineffective and Eickhoff tapered off after a promising start. The trade did net Jorge Alfaro as well, who of course was eventually shipped out for J.T. Realmuto. The Hamels deal was the last move orchestrated by Ruben Amaro Jr.