Padres News: Struggling Pitcher Cut While Robert Suarez Returns from Injury

San Diego gets some much needed good news.

The San Diego Padres made a roster move on Thursday, one that Friars fans have been looking forward to for a long time.

Relief pitcher Robert Suarez was taken off the 60-day injured list per the team, and Jose Castillo was designated for assignment to make room for Suarez on the 40-man roster.

RHP Robert Suarez has returned from rehab and been reinstated from the 60-day IL, and RHP Matt Waldron has been optioned to Triple-A El Paso. To make room on the 40-man roster for Suarez, LHP José Castillo has been designated for assignment.

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 20, 2023

It's a much anticipated return for Suarez, who proved to be one of the Padres best bullpen arms in 2022 as he logged a 2.27 ERA over 45 appearances last season.

He was expected to again play a significant role for San Diego this season, but those plans were abruptly halted after he was shut down in spring training with shoulder inflammation.

Suarez, who signed a five-year, $46 million contract this past offseason, has not pitched for the Padres this year, but that figures to change soon as he'll try to replicate his breakout debut season.

For Castillo, to put it mildly, he didn't make the greatest impression in San Diego.

He pitched in one game for the Padres this year, lasting only one-third of an inning and giving up four runs on two hits and two walks against the Angels on July 4 -- good for an ERA of 108.00.

It hasn't gone well for him in the minors either, as he's put a 9.82 ERA through 22 appearances for Triple-A El Paso. It remains to be seen what Castillo's future holds, but it doesn't appear like he'll be a part of the organization for much longer.

Additionally, reliever Matt Waldron was optioned to Triple-A.

Suarez will return to quite a predicament as the Padres have a big hole to climb if they want to make it to the postseason.

They currently sit six and a half games back in the race for a wild card spot, not completely out of contention, but still perilously close to finding themselves out of the playoff hunt.

Combine that with the question of whether the Padres could sell before the August 1 trade deadline, and things definitely aren't going smoothly for the franchise.