Padres Non-Tender Austin Nola, Three Others

The Padres have officially announced the non-tenders of catcher Austin Nola, outfielder Taylor Kohlwey, and pitchers Tim Hill and Jose Espada.

Nola’s non-tender signifies the end of his three-and-a-half-year stint in San Diego. He was acquired alongside Dan Altavilla and Austin Adams in a trade that now appears heavily in favor of the Mariners, who received a package of Ty France, Andres Munoz, Luis Torrens and Taylor Trammell in 2020. Nola had initially been a valuable asset for the Mariners, delivering strong offensive numbers while playing multiple positions but struggled to replicate that success with the Padres.

At the time of the non-tender, Nola was projected for a $2.35MM salary, and with the emergence of fellow catcher Luis Campusano, the Padres opted to part ways with Nola in favor of cutting payroll and creating opportunities for other players.

Meanwhile, Hill, with a quietly solid track record over a six-year career, had a challenging 2023 season with a career-worst 5.48 ERA. His impressive ground-ball rate may make him an attractive option for teams looking for a rebound opportunity in the offseason.

Kohlwey, who made his big league debut this season, and Espada, who pitched a scoreless inning in his debut in 2023, will also be seeking new opportunities as minor league free agents after being non-tendered by the Padres.