Chris Paddack's 2026 season has been one of the strangest journeyman tours in recent memory, and it just took its final turn. MLBTradeRumors confirmed the right-hander has signed with the Samsung Lions of the KBO League, closing the book on his stateside chances for this year and sending him overseas to finish out the season.
Chris Paddack Signs With KBO's Samsung Lions t.co/3WwAhhyRRG
To get a sense of how fast this fell apart, rewind to February. Paddack signed a $4MM deal with the Marlins to open the year, hoping to rebuild value after multiple Tommy John surgeries derailed the back half of his 20s. That didn't last. He was designated for assignment and released by Miami, scooped up by the Reds for a 6-game stint, cut loose again, and then landed with the Rangers on a big-league deal on June 29 — only to get DFA'd the very next day. He elected free agency on July 2, and instead of waiting on a 4th MLB shot, he took the KBO offer.
The Samsung Lions aren't some also-ran looking for a lottery ticket, either — they're sitting in first place in the KBO standings and just added a former big-league starter to deepen the rotation coming out of the league's All-Star break. For Paddack, it's a chance to actually pitch consistent innings and get paid to do it, something that stopped happening for him stateside somewhere around DFA number 2.
It's also a reminder of how unforgiving the back half of a 30-year-old starter's résumé can be once trade value evaporates. Paddack was a highly touted Padres prospect who threw a no-hit bid as a rookie in 2019, but 2 Tommy John procedures have chipped away at his stuff and his shot at sticking on a 40-man roster. The KBO has become a landing spot for guys in exactly that spot — a way to pitch, get paid, and try to build a case for a return trip to affiliated ball down the line.
For now, the move quietly reshapes the stateside pitching pool heading toward the trade deadline — one fewer stretch-run rotation flier for a contender to kick the tires on, and one more name added to the growing list of MLB arms rebuilding their stock overseas.