SAN DIEGO -- The Padres have signed right-handed pitcher Brandon Morrow to a one-year contract, a baseball source told MLB.com.The club has not confirmed the deal.
Morrow, the No. 5 overall Draft pick in 2006 by the Mariners, had his 2015 $10 million option declined after the '14 season by the Blue Jays.Morrow is expected to provide rotation depth, which could become important if the Padres make a trade to acquire more offense -- a deal which almost certainly would require them to move a starting pitcher. 
"We're still looking at different spots on the team where we can make improvements," Padres general manager A.J. Preller said earlier this week.Last week, FoxSports.com reported the Padres offered Morrow a one-year contract that is incentive-laden, but other teams were in the running for his services as well.Morrow is 42-43 with a 4.28 ERA in eight seasons in the big leagues with the Mariners and Blue Jays. He has been limited to a combined 87 2/3 innings the last two seasons due to a right forearm strain and a torn tendon sheath in his right hand.He has been on the disabled list at least once in each of the last four seasons.Morrow has shown electric stuff when he's been healthy. Take his one-hit shutout with 17 strikeouts against the Rays on Aug. 8, 2008, while pitching for the Jays.Could Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley and manager Bud Black help him return to 2012 form when he had a 2.96 ERA in 21 starts? The Padres certainly felt it was worth the gamble.The FoxSports.com report stated Morrow -- who has a career 9.4 strikeout-per-nine inning mark -- has offers to start and pitch in relief but his preference is to start.The Padres currently have Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, Ian Kennedy, Odrisamer Despaigne, Jesse Hahn and Robbie Erlin as starting rotation candidates with prospect Matt Wisler knocking on the door.Ross and Morrow were actually on the same staff in college in 2006 at Cal.The Padres continue to look for offensive upgrades even after agreeing to a five-player deal that landed them Matt Kemp and catcher Tim Federowicz from the Dodgers last week.Kemp was said to be in San Diego taking a physical on Tuesday and that trade could become official as soon as Wednesday.
Corey Brock/ MLB.com
"We're still looking at different spots on the team where we can make improvements," Padres general manager A.J. Preller said earlier this week.Last week, FoxSports.com reported the Padres offered Morrow a one-year contract that is incentive-laden, but other teams were in the running for his services as well.Morrow is 42-43 with a 4.28 ERA in eight seasons in the big leagues with the Mariners and Blue Jays. He has been limited to a combined 87 2/3 innings the last two seasons due to a right forearm strain and a torn tendon sheath in his right hand.He has been on the disabled list at least once in each of the last four seasons.Morrow has shown electric stuff when he's been healthy. Take his one-hit shutout with 17 strikeouts against the Rays on Aug. 8, 2008, while pitching for the Jays.Could Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley and manager Bud Black help him return to 2012 form when he had a 2.96 ERA in 21 starts? The Padres certainly felt it was worth the gamble.The FoxSports.com report stated Morrow -- who has a career 9.4 strikeout-per-nine inning mark -- has offers to start and pitch in relief but his preference is to start.The Padres currently have Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, Ian Kennedy, Odrisamer Despaigne, Jesse Hahn and Robbie Erlin as starting rotation candidates with prospect Matt Wisler knocking on the door.Ross and Morrow were actually on the same staff in college in 2006 at Cal.The Padres continue to look for offensive upgrades even after agreeing to a five-player deal that landed them Matt Kemp and catcher Tim Federowicz from the Dodgers last week.Kemp was said to be in San Diego taking a physical on Tuesday and that trade could become official as soon as Wednesday.
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