Padres Demote Key Pitcher in Surprise Move Amid Struggles

The San Diego Padres optioned pitcher David Morgan to Triple-A El Paso on Thursday, according to his official transactions log.

Morgan, one of the team's most reliable bullpen arms in 2025, has a 6.08 ERA through his first 11 appearances of 2026.

Beyond the surface stats, Morgan's numbers reveal he was struggling with control and command. He had issued 11 walks in 13.1 innings. Opposing batters were hitting .315 and slugging .519 against him.

Morgan was suffering from an unlucky .405 opponents' batting average on balls in play, despite limiting hard contact. Per Statcast, his average exit velocity of 85.7 mph ranked in the 92nd percentile of MLB pitchers.

Rather than wait for Morgan to harness his control in a tightly contested National League West — or for his BABIP luck to even out — they'll ostensibly wait for his walk rate to come down in the Pacific Coast League.

In his most recent appearance, Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs, Morgan allowed a double to Nico Hoerner and walked Seiya Suzuki while recording two outs.

Morgan was a revelation as a rookie in 2025, three years after the Padres signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Hope International University — an NAIA program that had never produced a major leaguer before.

The Mission Viejo native was recalled from El Paso on May 25 and never looked back, going 1-2 with a 2.66 ERA. He walked 23 and struck out 50 batters across 47.1 innings while limiting opponents to a .208 average.

The Padres were impressed enough to include Morgan on their roster for their NL Wild Card series against the Cubs. Morgan made one appearance and did not allow a run in his postseason debut.

With an opening in their bullpen, the Padres will add another pitcher prior to their game Friday against the Chicago White Sox. Half a game separates the Padres (19-11) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (20-11), who were also off Thursday, atop the division.

Lucas Giolito, who threw 2.2 innings in his first minor league start since signing with the Padres, isn't a likely candidate to take Morgan's 26-man roster spot. Veteran right-hander Griffin Canning threw five innings Tuesday in his most recent minor league rehab start, but reportedly has one more rehab start scheduled.

The reliever arguably most deserving of a promotion is left-hander Jackson Wolf. The Padres' fourth-round pick in 2021 has 22 strikeouts, eight walks and a .206 opponents' batting average in 19.1 innings while toggling from the bullpen to the rotation at El Paso.

But Wolf isn't on the Padres' 40-man roster, so the team would need to make a second move between now and Friday to promote him.

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