Padres move Blake Tekotte, Spence to make room for injured players

The Padres designated outfielder Blake Tekotte and left-handed relief pitcher Josh Spence for assignment Friday afternoon to make room on the 40-man roster for five players who had been on the 60-day disabled list.

Reinstated to the 40-man roster were starting pitchers Cory Luebke and Joe Wieland, catcher Nick Hundley and infielder-outfielders Kyle Blanks and James Darnell.

The moves returned the Padres to a full 40-man roster, meaning the club will have to make several more moves by Nov. 20 to create spots on the 40-man roster to protect at least two prospects from the Rule 5 draft.

All five players returning from the 60-day disabled list are rehabbing following season-ending surgery in 2012.

Luebke and Wieland had “Tommy John” elbow reconstruction surgery. Hundley had knee surgery. Blanks and Darnell each had surgery on their non-throwing left shoulders.

Blanks, Hundley and Darnell are expected to be ready by the start of spring training. Luebke is expected to rejoin the Padres late next spring. Wieland could miss most of the 2013 season.

Tekotte, 25, hit .163 (8-for-49) in 30 games for the Padres over parts of the past two seasons. He was the Padres third-round pick in the 2008 draft. The left-handed hitter batted .269 as a minor leaguer in the Padres system.

Spence, 24, made 51 relief appearances for the Padres over the last two seasons, going 0-3 with a 3.15 earned run average with 41 strikeouts against 24 walks. He was the Padres’ ninth-round pick in 2010 and was the second player from that draft to reach the major leagues.

The left-handed Luebke, 27, underwent “Tommy John” surgery last May 23 after going 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA in his first five starts with the Padres. Luebke signed contract extension last spring that guarantees him $11 million through 2015.

Wieland, 22, made his major league debut with the Padres last April 14 and was 0-4 with a 4.55 ERA in five starts when he suffered the injury that ultimately resulted in “Tommy John” surgery in July.

Hundley, 29, hit only .157 in 58 games for the Padres last season with three home runs and 22 RBI. He spent more than a month in Triple-A and was placed on the disabled list a week after he returned to the Padres in August. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on August 29.

Blanks, 26, played four games for the Padres in 2012 before being placed on the 15-day disabled list on Apr. 14 with a strained left shoulder that first caused Blanks trouble in spring training. He had arthroscopic surgery on Apr. 24 and never returned.

Darnell, 25, played in seven games for the Padres in 2012 after being promoted from Triple-A Tucson on May 11, going 4-for-17 with a double and a home run. A week after joining the Padres, Darnell suffered a temporary dislocation of his left shoulder while diving for a ball in left field and went on the disabled list. Darnell had surgery on Aug. 29.


(utsandiego.com)