Padres Finally Calling Up Reliever Drafted In 2016 Ahead of Series Finale

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 25, 2024

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

In his ninth year in the San Diego Padres organization, Lake Bachar is finally getting his moment.

Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported the news with a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.

Reliever Lake Bachar will join the #Padres tomorrow. https://t.co/bK59Dj1Han

— Jeff Sanders (@sdutSanders) August 25, 2024

Bachar was added to the 40-man roster earlier in August which means the Padres will just have to make one corresponding move to free up space on the 26-man.

San Diego placed him on the 40-man due to an opt-out clause Bachar triggered in his minor league deal. The Padres wanted to keep him in the organization as he has emerged as one of the best bullpen arms for Triple-A El Paso this season.

Bachar earned his first promotion to Triple-A this season, and he has produced a 4.12 earned run average across 67.2 innings for the Chihuahuas.

Bachar’s turn-around in 2023 was aided by his development of a splitter. He finished the season with a 2.69 ERA over 60.1 relief innings for Double-A San Antonio.

Sanders wrote about Bachar's unique path to the big leagues in April.

As a starting pitcher for Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater, he was uncomfortable with so much time between starts. The layoff while losing the 2020 season to the pandemic and the following season to Tommy John surgery made it tougher.

It was a blessing in disguise.

Bachar father was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus in 2018 and was given six months to live. He fought for 3.5 years and because of the two lost seasons, Bachar was by his dad's side.

“I know in the beginning I was like, ‘Why did I have to have Tommy John now?’” Bachar said. “ … But there’s nothing more valuable than time.”

He has fully recovered and been a mainstay in the El Paso bullpen and will become the last asset from the 2016 Padres draft class to make his big league debut.

His status as a prospect was never as high as the likes of Cal Quantrill, Eric Lauer, Mason Thompson, Joey Lucchesi, Jesse Scholtens, Taylor Kohlwey, or David Bednar who all ascended to the major leagues before him but he has worked hard for his opportunity.

That work included "splitter camp" with former big league pitcher Hideo Nomo in the spring of 2023.

“My change-up wasn’t good,” Bachar said. “I needed to take more velocity off and get more vertical break. Killing spin was what I needed to do. I had big hands, so I tried it out.”

His new pitch might have only earned him a cup of coffee-type debut but at least he will be in a Padres uniform making all the years of hard work worth it.