PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It was an interesting run as a late-inning reliever and briefly a closer, Keone Kela is joining the up-and-coming Padres.
MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports Kela gets a one-year contract, pending a physical.
He would be competing with another former Pirates closer. San Diego signed Mark Melancon to compete with Drew Pomeranz. Oh, and the Padres already had Emilio Pagan, who saved 20 games with Tampa Bay last year.
Kela pitched in only three games for the Pirates last year due to a positive COVID-19 test and then time on the injured list with forearm tightness.
The 27-year-old was suspended twice in 2019, one for an ‘altercation’ with a Pirates team employee. Then by Major League Baseball for throwing at the Reds Derek Dietrich and starting a benches clearing melee.
The righty pitched parts of three seasons with the Bucs. Appearing in 51 games, 47 innings, going 2-1 with a 2.49 ERA with one save, 58 strikeouts and 13 walks.
Kela, Melancon and Joe Musgrove join a Padres team that made the post-season in 2020, going 37-23 in the shortened season.