Padres Pitcher Declines Player Option; Joins Free Agency

He will draw plenty of attention on the open market.

San Diego Padres pitcher Robert Suarez has declined his $5 million player option for 2023 and became a free agent.

Right-hander Robert Suarez has opted out of his contract with the San Diego Padres. He will be a popular free agent.

— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) November 7, 2022

Suarez signed on with the Padres on a one-year, $5 million deal last December and was a strong candidate to compete for the team's closer role in spring training. Unfortunately, he never ended up taking over the closer role in San Diego. 

Regardless, Suarez took over as the Padres' setup man and performed excellently, posting a sparkling 2.27 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 61 strikeouts over 47.2 innings of work. He converted one save. 

The thirty-one-year-old should draw a lot of attention this winter from teams looking to upgrade at the closer position and will, regardless, earn a bigger contract this free agency after a great 2022 season.

Photo Credit:  Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports