PEORIA, Ariz. — The Padres have agreed to a minor league contract with veteran left-hander Matt Thornton, sources confirmed. The deal includes an invitation to spring training and is pending a physical, scheduled for this morning.
Thornton, 39, has been one of baseball's better southpaw relievers over the last decade. His strikeout rate fell last season, but he remained effective, posting a 2.18 ERA in 60 innings with Washington.
Over parts of 12 seasons with the Mariners, White Sox, Red Sox, Yankees and Nationals, Thornton has a 3.35 ERA. He has worked almost exclusively in setup duty.