Former Padres Starting Pitcher Lands With NL West Rival

Dinelson Lamet is headed to Dodgers Spring Training.

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed former San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dinelson Lamet to a minor league deal. The New York Post's Jon Heyman first broke the news.

Dinelson Lamet to Dodgers. Minors deal with MLB spring invite.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 3, 2024

Landing with the Dodgers marks the third organization in the NL West, and fourth overall, for the one-time Cy Young hopeful who has now turned into a journeyman. He has spent parts of six seasons with the Padres, the Colorado Rockies and the Boston Red Sox.

Lamet broke out with the Padres in 2020, going 3-1 in 12 starts with a 2.09 earned run average.

After an injury-interrupted 2021 season, and an ineffective 2022 campaign that saw him shuffle back and forth from San Diego to Triple-A El Paso, Lamet went to the Milwaukee Brewers in the trade that brought Josh Hader to San Diego. 

The Brewers immediately designated Lamet for assignment, and the Rockies picked him up. Last year, however, the Rockies released Lamet on June 22 with an 11.57 ERA. The Red Sox signed him on June 27 and immediately assigned him to Triple-A Worcester. Lamet appeared in only one major league game with Boston.

Lamet was designated for assignment by the Red Sox on August 9 and opted for free agency. Last season between the two organizations, he allowed 36 runs in 27.2 innings.

Lamet's signing with the Dodgers could signal another potential project for pitching coach Mark Prior in camp. Both Padres and Rockies fans are fearful their rival could turn his career around as they have done with Ryan Brasier, Evan Phillips, Alex Wood, Tyler Anderson and Andrew Heaney. 

Lamet has a fastball that approaches 100 miles per hour, so if the Dodgers can work their magic with him, the signing might pay off in the long run.