PLAY BALL! PADRES RELEASE SCHEDULE FOR SEASON STARTING JULY 24, ADD LEFTY PITCHER TIM HILL TO ROSTER

East County News Service

July 17, 2020 (San Diego) -- The San Diego Padres have released a schedule for an abbreviated 60-game 2020 baesball season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The  Padres' home opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks is slated for July 24, with the season's final game September 27.  View schedule. 

Seeking to beef up the bullpen, the Padres recently acquired left-handed pitcher Tim Hill from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for outfielder Franchy Cordero and right-handed pitcher Ronald Bolaños.

He ranked fourth in the majors in total inherited runners (50 IR, stranding 34) and eighth among American League pitchers in groundball rate (57.3 percent), min. 40 appearances. Over his final 40 appearances of the year for Kansas City (beginning  June 23), the 6-4, 200-pound side-armer went 2-0 with one save and a 3.28 ERA (13 ER, 35.2 IP).

Hill, 30, split the 2019 season between Triple-A Omaha and the Royals, posting a 3.63 ERA (16 ER, 39.2 IP) in three separate stints at the Major League-level (46 relief appearances) with a .217 opponent’s average. After making his second-career Opening Day roster, the southpaw held left-handed hitters to a .186 (11-for-59) clip in 2019, including a .111 (3-for-27) opponent’s average against lefties from August 9 through season’s end.