In a Wednesday morning interview on The Mighty 1090-AM, Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler said struggling right-hander Jered Weaver is on a “short leash” and indicated that a roster decision could be made after Weaver’s next turn in the rotation.

Weaver went just three innings in Tuesday’s 11-0 loss to Texas, allowing seven runs. Over his last three starts, a span of 12 2/3 innings, he has yielded 22 runs, 17 earned. The Padres are 0-7 in games started by Weaver, who has a 6.81 ERA and is tied with Houston’s Mike Fiers for most home runs allowed by a pitcher this season.

“We’ve had several performances from Jered that have been not very good, and Jered owns them,” Fowler said. “He’s very matter-of-fact in his quotes — he’s let the team down, he’s very disappointed in his performance. But are we going to let this continue? I think this is a short leash and we’ve got to make some decisions. He started last year very poorly and ended up (12-12) for a sub-.500 team. We’re hoping there’s something left, but the last several performances don’t give us much cause to be positive.”

Weaver, 34, was candid when speaking with reporters after Tuesday’s game.


“I know the nature of this business,” said Weaver, who, before his current rough patch, recorded three consecutive quality starts in which he did not receive much run support. “If it keeps going the way it is, I’m going to find myself on the couch here soon. That’s not going to stop me from grinding or competing. I feel bad that I haven’t been able to hold up my end of the bargain the last couple of starts.

“Nobody takes it harder than me. It’s been frustrating not being able to throw the ball the way I want to. I know it’s right around the corner. I can feel it. I’m going to keep going out there and grinding. I’m going to figure this thing out.”

The Padres sought a veteran leader and an innings-eater when they signed Weaver early in spring training. At the time, the former Angels ace was coming off a career-worst season in which his fastball velocity sunk to new depths and he posted a 5.06 ERA. So far, he has not experienced improvement in either department.

“Obviously, we don’t want to put the team in a hole every time he goes out,” Fowler said. “...We did take a chance on him. He had an outstanding career with the Angels. Last year was not his top (year). His pitch speed was about the same. It was a risk, but we didn’t bring him in to be our No. 1 or No. 2 starter. We were hoping we’d get some more, there was more left in the tank, but at this point in time it doesn’t appear that we were right. So we’re not going to let it continue for a long period of time, but we like the way he’s owning it, at least, and not trying to walk from it.”


Last June 1, in another interview on The Mighty 1090, Fowler criticized starter James Shields after a 10-run outing in Seattle, calling the right-hander’s performance an “embarrassment.” Three days later, Shields was traded to the White Sox, with the Padres agreeing to pay a little more than half of the $58 million left on his contract.

Nearly a year later, Weaver’s $3 million base salary is the highest on the roster. (First baseman Wil Myers is making $2 million, plus an additional $1 million as part of his signing bonus.) But even a team in full rebuilding mode can sustain only so many bullpen-taxing starts. Fowler was asked if he believed there is an alternative role for Weaver on the pitching staff.

“That’s basically going to be up to (manager Andy Green) and our pitching coach and (General Manager A.J. Preller),” Fowler said. “They will make that determination, make a recommendation, and then we’ll take appropriate action if his next start is not a good one.”

Green confirmed Wednesday that Weaver will make his next scheduled start, on the road Sunday against the White Sox. Shields, who is rehabbing a lat strain, will not face his former team this weekend.


“I think it’s just business as usual for us,” Green said. “He’s going to start, and then we’ll keep moving forward. We kind of look at everybody after every start, figure what we can do to help them, what we can do to make them better. And if there’s ever a time we need to make a change, then we talk about that, too. That’s not where we are right now.”

Asked if Sunday will determine whether Weaver continues to start for the Padres, Green said: “Where we are right now, he’s taking the mound and every last one of us will do whatever we possibly can to help him be successful with the expectation that he’s going to be successful.

“I thought most of everything (Fowler) said was really positive and mostly affirmative and honestly self-aware in the sense that Jered pretty much said yesterday, ‘Hey, I’ve got to pitch better, I’m accountable for this.’ I think Ron really appreciated that out of Jered, really appreciated that sentiment and respects him for it. I think we all collectively want to see him go out and pitch really well next time.”

Padres claim Valdez

Seeking bullpen depth, the Padres claimed Jose Valdez, an ex-teammate of Weaver’s, off waivers from the Angels and optioned the right-hander to Triple-A El Paso. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, San Diego transferred left-hander Christian Friedrich to the 60-day disabled list.


Valdez, 27, worked one inning for the Angels this season, allowing two runs on a homer. He made 25 relief appearances in 2016, posting a 4.24 ERA in 23 1/3 innings with the Angels. In 33 1/3 career innings between Detroit and Los Angeles, he has a 4.59 ERA with 27 strikeouts and 21 walks.

“It’s a live-armed righty who’s battled command issues, at times flashes a plus slider and is sitting in the mid-90s,” Green said. “He’a guy that we’re excited to get and hopefully forces our hand and gets up here to help us out at the major league level.”

Friedrich has not pitched this season due to a strained lat and, more recently, elbow tenderness. He is rehabbing at the Padres’ spring-training facility in Arizona.

Valdez is the seventh former Angels player the Padres have acquired since last season, joining Weaver; shortstop Erick Aybar; outfielders Collin Cowgill, Rafael Ortega and Nick Buss; and Kirby Yates, another reliever recently claimed off waivers.


Rotation flip

The Padres announced that they had tweaked the order of their rotation, with left-hander Clayton Richard and right-hander Jhoulys Chacin swapping slots.

Richard now will start Thursday against the Texas Rangers, who entered Wednesday with a .564 on-base plus slugging percentage against lefties and a .730 OPS against righties. Chacin will start on six days’ rest Friday against the White Sox, who have fared better versus left-handers. Owing to Sunday’s rainout, Richard’s start will come on regular rest.

“It’s matchup-related,” Green said. “If you flip (Chacin and Richard), you get a 200-point OPS advantage on each club.”

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