Twins acquire Chris Paddack, Emilio Pagán and a player to be named later from San Diego

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, MN – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have acquired right-handed pitchers Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagán, along with a player to be named later, from the San Diego Padres in exchange for left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers, outfielder Brent Rooker and cash considerations.

Paddack, 26, pitched in 23 games (22 starts) for the Padres last season, going 7-7 with a 5.07 ERA (108.1 IP, 61 ER), 22 walks, 99 strikeouts, a .269 (115-for-427) opponent batting average and a 1.26 WHIP. The 6-foot-5, 217-pound Paddack (pronounced PAD-ik) has pitched in parts of three seasons for the Padres since 2019, going 20-19 with a 4.21 ERA (308.0 IP, 144 ER), 65 walks, 310 strikeouts, a .239 opponent batting average and a 9.1 strikeouts-per-9.0 innings pitched ratio in 61 games (60 starts). He was named to Baseball America’s Major League All-Rookie Team in 2019 after going 9-7 with a 3.33 ERA (140.2 IP, 52 ER) in 26 starts for the Padres. The Austin, Texas native was originally drafted by the Miami Marlins in the eighth round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Cedar Park High School in Cedar Park, Texas.

Pagán, 30, made a career-high 67 relief appearances for San Diego last season, going 4-3 with a 4.83 ERA (63.1 IP, 34 ER), 19 holds, 18 walks, 69 strikeouts, a .231 (56-for-242) opponent batting average and a 1.17 WHIP. The 6-foot-2, 208-pound right-hander has pitched parts of five major league seasons with the Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays and Padres, going 13-10 with a 3.73 ERA (267.2 IP, 111 ER), 67 walks, 307 strikeouts, a .210 opponent batting average and a 10.3 strikeouts-per-9.0 innings pitched ratio in 244 career games, all in relief. Pagan saved 20 games for the Rays in 2019, going 4-2 with a 2.31 ERA (70.0 IP, 18 ER), 13 walks and 96 strikeouts in 66 games that season. The Simpsonville, South Carolina native was originally selected by the Mariners in the 10th round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, North Carolina.

Rogers made 40 appearances for the Twins last season, going 2-4 with a 3.35 ERA (40.1 IP, 15 ER), nine saves, eight walks and 59 strikeouts prior to landing on the 10-day Injured List on July 27 with a left middle finger sprain, ending his season. Rooker, who split the 2021 season between Triple-A St. Paul and Minnesota, played in 58 games for the Twins last season, hitting .201 (38-for-189) with 10 doubles, nine home runs and 16 RBI.