Padres Trade Veteran Pitcher to Toronto Blue Jays

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 12, 2024

Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays selected former San Diego Padres right-hander Tommy Nance to take the place of left-hander Génesis Cabrera who was placed on the paternity list on Thursday.

Nance had been with the Padres on a minor league deal but the Jays acquired him for cash on Wednesday, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.

Génesis Cabrera has been placed on the paternity list.

Tommy Nance, who I did not know was in the #BlueJays' organization, has been selected to the roster and will be active tonight.

Nance was acquired from the Padres for cash considerations yesterday, the club says.

— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) August 8, 2024

Even though the trade deadline has passed, certain trades are still allowed. One of the ways that teams can still add to their rosters after the deadline if the players involved have not been on a 40-man roster this year.

Nance signed a minor league deal with the Padres in December and had been with Triple-A El Paso all year until this trade. He has pitched 33.1 innings over 26 appearances in the Pacific Coast League with a 4.05 earned run average.

The 33-year-old didn't have a chance to break through the Padres' bullpen after they bolstered it at the deadline by acquiring Jason Adam from the Tampa Bay Rays, and Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing from the Miami Marlins.

#Bluejays tell us that Genesis Cabrera is back from paternity leave and has rejoined the team, but it’s not Tommy Nance who is going down to make room, it’s Yerry Rodriguez.

— Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness) August 11, 2024

Nance has a chance with the Toronto bullpen after the Blue Jays turned into sellers at the deadline. The Blue Jays traded three of their top set-up men — Yimi Garcia, Trevor Richards, and Nate Pearson — before the deadline. The also placed closer Jordan Romano on the injured list.

Before he was in the Padres organization, Nance pitched for the Cubs in 2021 and the Marlins in 2022. He began last season with the Marlins but missed the first few months of the season with a shoulder strain.

Nance was reinstated from the IL in August and then optioned to Triple-A, exhausting his final option season in the process. He was then returned to the IL due to an oblique strain which made 2023 a lost season for him. He was outrighted by the Marlins at season’s end, elected free agency, then signed his deal with the Padres.

Nance is out of options but has more than two years of major league service time.

After going undrafted during his NCAA career, Nance pitched for the Windy City Thunderbolts of the Frontier League in 2015 and signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs.

Nance earned his first call-up in 2021. He posted a 7.22 ERA over 27 appearances for the Cubs out of the bullpen. The Cubs designated Nance for assignment ahead of the 2022 season and the Marlins claimed him.