The San Diego Padres announced Wednesday that they released veteran catcher Martin Maldonado, who was designated for assignment last week.
The writing was on the wall when the Padres acquired Freddy Fermin from the Kansas City Royals at last Thursday’s trade deadline, upending their catching tandem.
Fermin, 30, immediately got the opportunity to take the lion’s share of innings behind the plate that he was never going to get in Kansas City.
The Padres designated Maldonado for assignment in a corresponding roster move, ending the 38-year-old’s tenure in San Diego.
Maldonado hit .204 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in 64 games, splitting time with Elias Diaz.
The 2019 American League Gold Glove Award winner, Maldonado has played 1,230 games for seven different organizations since his 2011 debut.
Maldonado is a career .203/.277/.343 hitter with the Milwaukee Brewers (2011-16), Angels (2017-18), Houston Astros (2018-23), Royals (2019), Chicago Cubs (2019), Chicago White Sox (2024) and Padres (2025).
