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The Padres have reached a minor-league deal with veteran left-hander Matt Thornton, according to a major-league source. The deal will pay Thornton a guaranteed salary of $1.6 million if he makes the majors, with another $1.9 million available in performance bonuses based on appearances.
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com was first to report the deal.
Thornton, 39, joins Drew Pomeranz, Buddy Baumann and Ryan Buchter as southpaws in the Padres' bullpen, providing a much-needed veteran arm in a young mix. He drew interest from many clubs this winter, including the Braves, but ultimately believed that San Diego presented the best option for him to crack the major-league roster.
Thornton spent last season with the Nationals, posting a 2.18 ERA in 41.1 innings. He is a veteran of 12 major-league seasons with the Mariners (2004-05), White Sox (2006-13), Red Sox (2013), Yankees (2014), and Nationals (2014-2015), and has registered a lifetime 3.35 ERA while appearing in more than 60 or more games in every season since 2006.