Padres News: Scott Barlow Loves Pitching in San Diego

Scott Barlow enjoys pitching for the San Diego Padres.

Getting traded during the middle of the season is never easy for a major leaguer. Most hope they will make the playoffs. While that didn't happen for Scott Barlow following his trade from the Kansas City Royals, the righty reliever says he's really enjoyed his time in San Diego with the Padres.

Part of the allure is surely pitching for a team that's going to be an NL powerhouse for years to come. But most important for Barlow is the support from Friar faithful at Petco Park.

“Day in and day out, like I couldn’t believe it,” said Barlow. “Every time you show up on the field, regardless of what day of the week it is, day game, night game, the stands are filled. … It’s unmatched by the show-outs from the fans and everything.”

via San Diego Union-Tribune

Before the 2018 season, Barlow signed a deal with the Royals. While with the Royals, Barlow became a prominent right-handed reliever. Although the Royals won a world championship in 2015, the organization is in a rebuilding mode while trying to generate enough revenue to sign a big-name free agent.

This July while trying to earn a National League Wild Card spot, the Padres traded for Barlow, one of the best right-handed relievers in the game. The Padres didn’t earn the spot, but Barlow has pitched satisfactorily in a Padre uniform. In 22 games while pitching 26.1 innings, he has a 3.42 ERA and 29 strikeouts while walking 10.

Since Josh Hader, the Padres’ closer, is a free agent after this season and the Padres may not be able to re-sign him, Barlow is an option to be the Padres closer next season. He's under team control for one more year before becoming a free agent.