Shortly after being designated for assignment by the Baltimore Orioles, veteran starting pitcher Bud Norris inked a major league deal with the San Diego Padres for the remainder of the 2015 season.
It's a low-risk move for a Padres team that has fallen out of contention in the ultra-competitive National League West. Now 53-60 on the campaign, San Diego finds itself closer to the last-place Colorado Rockies than the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers.
In bringing Norris in, the Padres will get a first-hand look at what he can do in the pitcher-friendly confines of Petco Park.
Norris, 30, has has followed up a career-best 2014 campaign with an absolute dud this year. He posted a 2-9 record with a 7.06 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 18 games (11 starts) before being designated by the Orioles. That came on the heels of a 2014 season that saw him post a personal best 15 wins for Baltimore.
The Orioles are expected to pick up the remainder of the $8.8 million Norris is set to make this year.
From a daily fantasy perspective, Norris might be a cheap option should he be given regular starts in San Diego. Going from a heavy-hitting American League East to a lighter-hitting NL West while pitching at Petco Park could make him a decent value add. It's at least something to keep an eye on.