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According to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Tribune , the San Diego Padres are set to add catcher Elias Diaz to their roster as part of the upcoming roster expansion. This move comes after Diaz signed a minor league deal with the Padres following his release from the Colorado Rockies earlier this month.
Diaz, 33, will fill the active roster spot created for a position player. Meanwhile, left-handed pitcher Wandy Peralta will be activated from the 15-day Injured List to take the spot vacated by a pitcher. The Padres will also recall Tom Cosgrove from the minors, although they will need to make another move to accommodate him on the active roster.
During his five seasons with the Rockies, Diaz played in 462 games, posting a batting average of .253 with a .403 slugging percentage. While his offensive numbers were impacted by the high-scoring environment at Coors Field, he was recognized as a reliable defensive catcher and even made an All-Star appearance last year.
The Rockies considered trading Diaz earlier in the season, but his performance declined after a calf injury sidelined him for three weeks in June. His struggles continued leading up to the trade deadline, which ultimately led to his release. Now, with the Padres, he will join Luis Campusano and Kyle Higashioka in sharing catching duties as the season progresses.
Higashioka is enjoying a strong season, hitting .230 with 16 home runs, while Campusano has faced challenges with a .233 batting average. Diaz's defensive skills and potential to regain his early-season form could provide the Padres with a valuable option behind the plate.
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On the pitching side, Peralta has had a mixed season, posting a 4.50 ERA in 34 innings. The Padres hope he can return to the form he showed in previous seasons, where he maintained a 3.01 ERA over 200 appearances with the Giants and Yankees.
As the Padres gear up for the final stretch of the season, these roster changes could play a crucial role in their playoff aspirations.
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