The Padres have agreed to a one-year contract with right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, sources said Saturday. Financial terms of the deal, which is pending a physical, were not immediately disclosed.
Chacin, 29 next month, will soon become the Padres' first major league signing of the offseason, as well as the most experienced member of their rotation. Currently, the club counts left-hander Christian Friedrich, who returned to a starting role in 2016, and former Rule 5 draftee Luis Perdomo as its top options.
Chacin is well-acquainted with the Padres, having pitched parts of six seasons for the division-rival Colorado Rockies. He went 14-10 with a 3.47 ERA in 2013, but shoulder problems led to his release two years later. He worked on minor league deals each of the last two seasons.
In 2016, Chacin made five starts for the Atlanta Braves before a May trade to the Los Angeles Angels. He finished with a combined 34 appearances, including 22 starts, posting a 4.81 ERA over 144 innings.
Over his eight-year career, Chacin is 46-57 with a 3.94 ERA. He has averaged seven strikeouts and 3.7 walks per nine innings.
Chacin is pitching for Leones del Caracas in the Venezuelan winter league. His deal with the Padres is expected to be announced early next week.
The Padres would still like to add at least two more veteran starters on short-term deals. They remain interested in re-signing left-hander Clayton Richard, who was effective over nine starts for San Diego last season.
