K Hill

The rebuilding Padres signed a host of veterans to cheap contracts over the winter to fill out their rotation. The deals haven’t worked out so far collectively, but one contract that’s paid off handsomely in the early going is the one Trevor Cahill signed.

Cahill continued his impressive start to the season on Monday versus the Rangers, striking out seven while allowing just one single across 5 1/3 shutout frames. The sinkerballer did issue five free passes and hit a batter, which led to an elevated pitch count and his removal in the sixth inning, but Brad Hand came in to put out the fire and keep a zero in Cahill’s runs allowed column.

In 35 1/3 innings this season, Cahill has recorded 44 strikeouts while posting a 3.06 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. He’s been prone to wildness, walking 16 batters, which isn’t anything new for a guy with a career 3.6 BB/9 rate. However, he’s been able to wiggle his way out of jams with all of those punchouts. Cahill ranks sixth in baseball with his 11.2 K/9 rate, trailing only Danny Salazar, Chris Sale, Jacob deGrom, Robbie Ray and Max Scherzer.

Cahill has already made more starts this season than he did over the last two campaigns combined in the majors, as he was used mostly in relief from 2015-16 after he flamed out as a starter with the Diamondbacks. He’s still just 29, though, and clearly enjoying pitching near his hometown of Oceanside, CA. Cahill has given up just one earned run while striking out 20 over 18 1/3 frames in his first three outings this year at Petco Park.

Trevor Cahill

The right-hander does have a 5.82 ERA in three road starts, although he’s also struck out 24 over 17 innings away from home. While Cahill might still be a guy to consider benching in difficult matchups, he’s certainly someone to be taken seriously in mixed leagues again after a few years pretty well off the fantasy radar.