The San Diego Padres designated 28-year-old right-hander Alek Jacob for assignment Wednesday, removing him from the 40-man roster to make room for veteran reliever Jason Adam’s return from the 60-day injured list, via the MLB transaction log.
The club also optioned right-hander Griffin Canning to the Arizona Complex League Padres.
Jacob, a Spokane, Washington, native and Gonzaga product, appeared in just three games for San Diego this season. In five innings he posted a 5.40 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and six strikeouts while picking up one win.
His last big-league outing came July 6 against Arizona, when he allowed one run over three innings. He spent most of 2026 shuttling between Petco Park and Triple-A El Paso.
The move is a familiar one for Jacob. Drafted in the 16th round in 2021, he has been a frequent roster casualty since his July 2023 debut. He owns a career 4.18 ERA over 56 innings in 42 games, all with the Padres.
What he has never had is velocity.
His four-seam fastball typically sits around 85 mph, among the slowest in the majors. He compensates with elite extension, a sidearm slot, and a changeup that has at times kept hitters off balance.
That profile produced a 2.45 ERA in a small 2024 sample and a rockier 5.13 ERA across 33⅓ innings in 2025.
Adam’s activation is the more immediate priority. The veteran right-hander had been on the 60-day IL and gives San Diego a proven late-inning option as the team tries to stay in the National League West mix.
Designating Jacob rather than another 40-man arm was the simplest way to open the necessary spot.
Jacob now has seven days to be traded, claimed off waivers, or outrighted to the minors if he clears. At 28 and with limited remaining options, his future in the organization is uncertain.
He has shown he can miss bats in short bursts when his deception works, but the Padres have repeatedly chosen other arms when roster crunch time arrives.
For a pitcher who rose quickly as a senior sign and carved out a niche despite below-average stuff, the DFA is another reminder of how thin the margin is for non-traditional relievers.
Whether another club sees value in the unique look remains to be seen. For now, Jacob is off the Padres’ 40-man roster as San Diego turns its attention to the stretch run with Adam back in the bullpen.
