Yusmeiro Petit is not the type of reliever that is going to light up the radar gun. The former Oakland A’s reliever relied on generating soft contact and his excellent command, becoming a key piece in the bullpen while Bob Melvin was in town. No other reliever had as many appearances as Petit since the beginning of the 2018 campaign as he impressed with his durability and reliability.
That duo has a chance to get back together in 2022. The Padres have signed Petit to a minor league deal worth $1.5 million if he reaches the majors with another $500,000 in incentives.
Yusmeiro Petit finally gets signed
Petit had his usually solid year in 2021. The rubberarmed former A’s reliever made 78 appearances, posting a 3.92 ERA and a 1.038 WHiP in his 78 innings. While he is not going to generate strikeouts, having struck out 37 batters, he issued only 12 walks last year.
It would have made a great deal of sense for the A’s to bring Petit back for a fifth year in Oakland. He would have been a dependable arm in the untested bullpen, someone that could help the young arms as they begin their major league journey. At the same time, he would have fit within their budget as he signed in San Diego for relative peanuts.
Instead, he is going to go to what may be his second best option. With Melvin and bench coach Ryan Christenson in San Diego, it will be as close to a homecoming as possible. The uniforms may be different, but he will have a manager that knows how to properly deploy him and in which situations. Petit is likely to continue to be an underappreciated weapon.
It took far too long for Yusmeiro Petit to find a new opportunity. He is joining his former manager as he signed a minor league deal with the Padres.