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The San Diego Padres made a move to bolster their bullpen depth on Thursday, announcing the acquisition of right-handed pitcher Ron Marinaccio from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for cash considerations. The 29-year-old Marinaccio, a hard-throwing reliever, spent the last few seasons with the New York Yankees before being claimed off waivers by the White Sox late in the 2024 season.
“We have acquired RHP Ron Marinaccio from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for cash considerations.” via the Padres official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Though he did not make an appearance for Chicago, Marinaccio brings a promising track record of high strikeout rates and significant potential to San Diego’s bullpen. In 91 1/3 innings with the Yankees across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Marinaccio posted a 3.05 ERA with an impressive 29% strikeout rate, though his 13.2% walk rate hinted at control issues.
In 2024, Marinaccio improved his command slightly, lowering his walk rate to 10.1%. However, his strikeout rate also dipped to 25.3%, resulting in a 3.86 ERA over the campaign. Overall, Marinaccio has a 3.22 ERA in 114 2/3 major league innings, with a career strikeout rate of 28.2% and a walk rate of 12.6%.
Ron Marinaccio looks to bolster the Padres bullpen after a quiet offseason
His ability to generate swings and misses has been consistent throughout his career, as evidenced by his dominant numbers in the minors: a 2.86 ERA, 33.5% strikeout rate, and 11.5% walk rate across 132 innings over the past four seasons. While Marinaccio’s command remains a work in progress, his potential to miss bats makes him an intriguing addition to the Padres’ bullpen.
Additionally, the right-hander comes with a remaining minor league option, giving San Diego some flexibility to shuttle him between the majors and minors as needed during the 2025 season. Marinaccio also has less than two years of MLB service time, meaning he won’t be arbitration-eligible until after the 2026 season, providing San Diego with affordable team control.
The acquisition comes as the Padres look to add depth to their bullpen following a challenging 2024 season. Marinaccio’s ability to generate strikeouts could make him a valuable middle-relief option for San Diego, especially as they navigate potential turnover in their pitching staff.
For the White Sox, the decision to part ways with Marinaccio followed the official signing of left-hander Martín Pérez to a one-year deal. To make room for Pérez on the 40-man roster, Chicago designated Marinaccio for assignment, ultimately sending him to the Padres in exchange for cash considerations. With this move, the Padres continue to fine-tune their roster ahead of spring training, betting on Marinaccio’s ability to regain his 2022 form and become a key contributor in their bullpen.