Biographical

Portrait of Matt Thornton

Matt Thornton PPadres

Padres Player Cards | Padres Team Audit | Padres Depth Chart

2019 Projections (Preseason PECOTA - seasonal age 42)
IP ERA WHIP SO W L SV WARP
Login or Subscribe today for access to projections!
Birth Date9-15-1976
Height6' 6"
Weight235 lbs
Age47 years, 7 months, 10 days
BatsL
ThrowsL
-0.12015
-0.52016
2017
2018
-0.22019
proj
WARP Summary

MLB Statistics

Historical (past-seasons) WARP is now based on DRA..
cFIP and DRA are not available on a by-team basis and display as zeroes(0). See TOT line for season totals of these stats.
Multiple stints are are currently shownClick to hide.
YEAR Team Lg G GS IP W L SV H BB SO HR PPF H/9 BB/9 HR/9 K/9 GB% BABIP WHIP FIP ERA cFIP DRA DRA- WARP
2004 SEA MLB 19 1 32.7 1 2 0 30 25 30 2 102 8.3 6.9 0.6 8.3 0% .308 1.68 4.41 4.13 114 5.85 120.7 -0.1
2005 SEA MLB 55 0 57.0 0 4 0 54 42 57 13 97 8.5 6.6 2.1 9.0 0% .273 1.68 6.22 5.21 107 4.11 88.4 0.9
2006 CHA MLB 63 0 54.0 5 3 2 46 21 49 5 112 7.7 3.5 0.8 8.2 0% .272 1.24 3.79 3.33 93 3.94 80.3 1.0
2007 CHA MLB 68 0 56.3 4 4 2 59 26 55 4 102 9.4 4.2 0.6 8.8 0% .340 1.51 3.76 4.79 88 3.65 75.4 1.2
2008 CHA MLB 74 0 67.3 5 3 1 48 19 77 5 104 6.4 2.5 0.7 10.3 0% .261 1.00 2.77 2.67 65 2.62 55.8 2.1
2009 CHA MLB 70 0 72.3 6 3 4 58 20 87 5 106 7.2 2.5 0.6 10.8 0% .298 1.08 2.50 2.74 72 2.87 61.5 1.9
2010 CHA MLB 61 0 60.7 5 4 8 41 20 81 3 111 6.1 3.0 0.4 12.0 0% .286 1.01 2.10 2.67 76 2.96 66.8 1.4
2011 CHA MLB 62 0 59.7 2 5 3 60 21 63 3 104 9.1 3.2 0.5 9.5 0% .326 1.36 2.65 3.32 82 3.14 72.9 1.1
2012 CHA MLB 74 0 65.0 4 10 3 63 17 53 4 104 8.7 2.4 0.6 7.3 0% .312 1.23 3.13 3.46 94 3.43 78.5 1.0
2013 BOS 0 20 0 15.3 0 1 0 22 5 9 0 103 12.9 2.9 0.0 5.3 0% .386 1.76 2.87 3.52 109 5.09 122.0 -0.1
2013 CHA 0 40 0 28.0 0 3 0 25 10 21 4 99 8.0 3.2 1.3 6.8 0% .266 1.25 4.71 3.86 109 4.17 99.9 0.1
2014 NYA 0 46 0 24.7 0 3 0 23 6 20 0 99 8.4 2.2 0.0 7.3 0% .299 1.18 2.75 2.55 99 3.82 93.6 0.2
2014 WAS 0 18 0 11.3 1 0 0 10 2 8 0 101 7.9 1.6 0.0 6.4 0% .294 1.06 2.48 0.00 99 4.27 104.8 0.0
2015 WAS MLB 60 0 41.3 2 1 0 33 11 23 2 95 7.2 2.4 0.4 5.0 0% .231 1.06 3.54 2.18 110 4.90 114.4 -0.1
2016 SDN MLB 18 0 17.0 1 0 0 22 6 9 2 94 11.6 3.2 1.1 4.8 54% .339 1.65 4.88 5.82 122 7.51 166.2 -0.5
2013 TOT MLB 60 0 43.3 0 4 0 47 15 30 4 101 9.8 3.1 0.8 6.2 0% .000 1.43 4.06 3.74 109 4.50 107.7 0.1
2014 TOT MLB 64 0 36.0 1 3 0 33 8 28 0 100 8.3 2.0 0.0 7.0 0% .000 1.14 2.67 1.75 99 3.96 97.1 0.2
CareerMLB7481662.7364623594251642521038.13.40.78.749%.3011.283.433.41913.7583.010.2

Statistics for All Levels

'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.
Minor league stats are currently shownClick to hide.
YEAR Team Lg LG G GS IP W L SV H BB SO HR PPF H/9 BB/9 HR/9 K/9 GB% BABIP WHIP FIP ERA cFIP DRA DRA-
1998 EVE A- NWN 2 0 1.3 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 6.9 20.8 0.0 0.0 0% -.333 3.08 10.70 27.69 0 0.00 0.0
1999 WIS A MDW 25 1 29.3 0 0 1 39 25 34 1 12.0 7.7 0.3 10.4 0% -.633 2.18 4.42 4.91 0 0.00 0.0
2000 WIS A MDW 26 17 103.3 6 9 0 94 72 88 2 8.2 6.3 0.2 7.7 0% -.564 1.61 3.95 4.01 0 0.00 0.0
2001 SBR A+ CLF 27 27 157.0 14 7 0 126 60 192 9 7.2 3.4 0.5 11.0 0% -.448 1.18 3.19 2.52 0 0.00 0.0
2002 SAN AA TXS 12 12 62.0 1 5 0 52 29 44 3 7.5 4.2 0.4 6.4 0% .277 1.31 3.92 3.63 0 0.00 0.0
2003 SBR A+ CLF 2 2 9.0 0 0 0 9 4 14 2 9.0 4.0 2.0 14.0 0% .368 1.44 5.17 4.00 0 0.00 0.0
2003 SAN AA TXS 4 4 25.3 3 0 0 8 9 18 0 2.8 3.2 0.0 6.4 0% .133 0.67 3.05 0.36 0 0.00 0.0
2003 TAC AAA PCL 2 2 9.0 0 2 0 14 3 5 2 14.0 3.0 2.0 5.0 0% .353 1.89 6.07 8.00 0 0.00 0.0
2003 Peo Wnt AFL 11 0 13.7 0 2 0 18 13 10 2 11.8 8.5 1.3 6.6 0% -.640 2.26 7.56 9.20 0 0.00 0.0
2004 SEA MLB AL 19 1 32.7 1 2 0 30 25 30 2 102 8.3 6.9 0.6 8.3 0% .308 1.68 4.41 4.13 114 5.85 120.7
2004 TAC AAA PCL 16 15 83.0 7 5 0 86 63 74 4 9.3 6.8 0.4 8.0 0% .332 1.80 4.84 5.42 0 0.00 0.0
2005 SEA MLB AL 55 0 57.0 0 4 0 54 42 57 13 97 8.5 6.6 2.1 9.0 0% .273 1.68 6.22 5.21 107 4.11 88.4
2006 CHA MLB AL 63 0 54.0 5 3 2 46 21 49 5 112 7.7 3.5 0.8 8.2 0% .272 1.24 3.79 3.33 93 3.94 80.3
2007 CHA MLB AL 68 0 56.3 4 4 2 59 26 55 4 102 9.4 4.2 0.6 8.8 0% .340 1.51 3.76 4.79 88 3.65 75.4
2008 CHA MLB AL 74 0 67.3 5 3 1 48 19 77 5 104 6.4 2.5 0.7 10.3 0% .261 1.00 2.77 2.67 65 2.62 55.8
2009 CHA MLB AL 70 0 72.3 6 3 4 58 20 87 5 106 7.2 2.5 0.6 10.8 0% .298 1.08 2.50 2.74 72 2.87 61.5
2010 CHA MLB AL 61 0 60.7 5 4 8 41 20 81 3 111 6.1 3.0 0.4 12.0 0% .286 1.01 2.10 2.67 76 2.96 66.8
2011 CHA MLB AL 62 0 59.7 2 5 3 60 21 63 3 104 9.1 3.2 0.5 9.5 0% .326 1.36 2.65 3.32 82 3.14 72.9
2012 CHA MLB AL 74 0 65.0 4 10 3 63 17 53 4 104 8.7 2.4 0.6 7.3 0% .312 1.23 3.13 3.46 94 3.43 78.5
2013 BOS MLB AL 20 0 15.3 0 1 0 22 5 9 0 103 12.9 2.9 0.0 5.3 0% .386 1.76 2.87 3.52 109 5.09 122.0
2013 CHA MLB AL 40 0 28.0 0 3 0 25 10 21 4 99 8.0 3.2 1.3 6.8 0% .266 1.25 4.71 3.86 109 4.17 99.9
2014 NYA MLB AL 46 0 24.7 0 3 0 23 6 20 0 99 8.4 2.2 0.0 7.3 0% .299 1.18 2.75 2.55 99 3.82 93.6
2014 WAS MLB NL 18 0 11.3 1 0 0 10 2 8 0 101 7.9 1.6 0.0 6.4 0% .294 1.06 2.48 0.00 99 4.27 104.8
2015 WAS MLB NL 60 0 41.3 2 1 0 33 11 23 2 95 7.2 2.4 0.4 5.0 0% .231 1.06 3.54 2.18 110 4.90 114.4
2016 SDN MLB NL 18 0 17.0 1 0 0 22 6 9 2 94 11.6 3.2 1.1 4.8 54% .339 1.65 4.88 5.82 122 7.51 166.2
2016 LEL A+ CAL 3 0 3.0 0 1 0 4 1 3 0 12.0 3.0 0.0 9.0 60% .400 1.67 2.70 6.00 88 4.25 93.9

Plate Discipline

YEAR Pits Zone% Swing% Contact% Z-Swing% O-Swing% Z-Contact% O-Contact% SwStr%
2008 994 0.5332 0.5181 0.7165 0.6547 0.3621 0.7378 0.6726 0.2835
2009 1144 0.5122 0.5070 0.7293 0.6621 0.3441 0.7861 0.6146 0.2707
2010 954 0.5356 0.5262 0.6753 0.6732 0.3567 0.7209 0.5759 0.3247
2011 1033 0.5092 0.5015 0.7625 0.6407 0.3570 0.8101 0.6740 0.2375
2012 1000 0.4950 0.4640 0.7974 0.6182 0.3129 0.8464 0.7025 0.2026
2013 696 0.4928 0.4799 0.8114 0.6501 0.3144 0.8969 0.6396 0.1886
2014 624 0.5064 0.5064 0.8038 0.7184 0.2890 0.8370 0.7191 0.1962
2015 581 0.4768 0.4819 0.8071 0.6715 0.3092 0.8333 0.7553 0.1929
2016 280 0.5250 0.5179 0.8552 0.7075 0.3083 0.9038 0.7317 0.1448
Career73060.51070.50010.75970.65970.33410.80580.66490.2403

Injury History  —  No longer being updated

Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET

Date On Date Off Transaction Days Games Side Body Part Injury Severity Surgery Date Reaggravation
2013-08-05 2013-08-25 15-DL 20 18 Right Abdomen Strain Oblique - -
2013-02-19 2013-02-24 Camp 5 0 Left Elbow Inflammation - -
2010-08-18 2010-09-03 15-DL 16 14 Left Forearm Soreness -
2010-05-25 2010-05-28 DTD 3 3 Left Upper Arm Soreness Triceps -
2008-02-28 2008-03-04 Camp 5 0 Left Elbow Soreness -
2006-04-14 2006-04-28 DTD 14 12 - Low Back Soreness - -
2003-08-15 2003-09-29 60-DL 45 41 Neck Recovery From Surgery Herniated Disc -
2003-06-24 2003-08-15 Minors 52 0 Neck Surgery Herniated Disc -
2003-04-01 2003-05-12 Minors 41 0 Left Elbow Recovery From Surgery Tommy John Surgery 2002-06-10
2002-06-05 2002-09-10 Minors 97 0 Left Elbow Surgery Tommy John Surgery 2002-06-10
2000-06-02 2000-06-23 Minors 21 0 Left Arm Tendonitis Triceps - -
1998-06-30 1998-09-05 Minors 67 0 Left Elbow Soreness - -

Compensation

Year Team Salary
2016 SDN $1,600,000
2015 WAS $3,500,000
2014 NYA $3,500,000
2013 CHA $5,500,000
2012 CHA $5,500,000
2011 CHA $3,000,000
2010 CHA $2,250,000
2009 CHA $1,325,000
2008 CHA $875,000
2007 CHA $550,000
2006 CHA $355,000
2005 SEA $323,000
YearsDescriptionSalary
12 yrPrevious$28,278,000
12 yrTotal$28,278,000

 

Service TimeAgentContract Status
11 y 129 dAdam Hubble1 year/$1.6M (2016)

Details
  • 1 year (2016). Signed by San Diego as a free agent 3/3/16 (minor-league contract). Salary of $1.6M in majors. May earn additional $1.9M in performance bonuses based on games. Contract selected by San Diego 3/30/16. DFA by San Diego 8/6/16. Released 8/11/16. Retired 11/16.
  • 2 years/$7M (2014-15). Signed by NY Yankees as a free agent 12/17/13. 14:$3.5M, 15:$3.5M. Claimed by Washington off waivers from NY Yankees 8/5/14.
  • 2 years/$12M (2012-13), plus 2014 club option. Signed extension with Chicago White Sox 3/6/11. 12:$5.5M, 13:$5.5M, 14:$6M club option ($1M buyout). Acquired by Boston in trade from Chicago White Sox 7/13/13. (White Sox pay $0.75M to Boston as part of the deal.) Boston declined 2014 option 11/2/13.
  • 3 years/$3.25M (2007-09), plus 2010-11 club options. Signed extension with Chicago White Sox 4/07. 07:$0.55M, 08:$0.875M, 09:$1.325M, 10:$2.25M club option, $0.25M buyout, 11:$3M club option $0.25M buyout. White Sox exercised '10 option 10/6/09 and '11 option 10/26/10.
  • 1 year/$0.425M (2007). Re-signed by Chicago White Sox 2/07.
  • 1 year/$0.355M (2006). Acquired by Chicago White Sox in trade from Seattle 3/06.
  • 1 year/$0.323M (2005). Re-signed by Seattle 2/05 (split contract paying $150,000 in minors).
  • 1 year/$0.3M (2004). Re-signed 2/04 (Split contract paying $90,000 in minors). Recalled 4/04, optioned 4/04, recalled 6/04, optioned to Triple-A 7/04, recalled 8/04.
  • 1 year (2003). Re-signed 1/03. Optioned to Triple-A 3/03.
  • 1 year (2002). Signed 2/02. Optioned to Double-A 3/02.
  • Drafted by Seattle 1998 (1-22) (Grand Valley State). $925,000 signing bonus.

2019 Preseason Forecast

Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET

PCT W L SV G GS IP H BB SO HR BABIP WHIP ERA DRA VORP WARP
90o 0 2.2 3 68 0 51.2 44 21 35 6 .251 1.27 4.04 4.27 -7.7 -0.8
80o 0 1.8 2.5 59 0 44.5 42 20 30 6 .267 1.38 4.48 4.73 -9.0 -1.0
70o 0 1.5 2.1 53 0 39.9 40 19 27 5 .279 1.47 4.80 5.07 -9.7 -1.1
60o 0 1.3 1.9 48 0 36.1 38 18 25 5 .289 1.54 5.08 5.36 -9.9 -1.1
50o 0 1.1 1.6 43 0 32.6 36 17 22 5 .299 1.62 5.35 5.65 -10.1 -1.1
40o 0 0.9 1.4 39 0 29.2 34 16 20 4 .308 1.70 5.62 5.94 -10.0 -1.1
30o 0 0.8 1.2 34 0 25.7 31 15 18 4 .319 1.78 5.92 6.25 -9.7 -1.1
20o 0 0.6 1 29 0 21.8 28 13 15 4 .331 1.89 6.28 6.63 -9.2 -1.0
10o 0 0.4 0.7 22 0 16.5 23 11 11 3 .348 2.04 6.80 7.17 -8.0 -0.9
Weighted Mean01.11.642031.73516225.2961.605.305.6-9.6-1.0

The rest of this card is restricted to Baseball Prospectus Subscribers.

Not a subscriber? Click here for a free card so you can see what's missing.

Click here for more information on Baseball Prospectus subscriptions or to subscribe and get instant access to the best baseball content on the web.

BP Annual Player Comments

The rest of this card is restricted to Baseball Prospectus Subscribers.

Not a subscriber? Click here for a free card so you can see what's missing.

Click here for more information on Baseball Prospectus subscriptions or to subscribe and get instant access to the best baseball content on the web.

BP Articles

Click here to see articles tagged with Matt Thornton

BP Chats

DateQuestionAnswer
2013-07-25 13:00:00 (link to chat)While I'm trying to get a handle on Rick Hahn as a trader, I was wondering what you thought of the respective hauls for Matt Thornton and Francisco Rodriguez. Given Thornton's declining ability, I was pleased to see the Sox get some salary relief and a prospect, but that haul needs to be contextualized in this particular market for relievers. Did Hahn do me proud in his first deadline deal? Thanks.
(GrinnellSteve from Iowa)
I wish I had a stronger opinion on the deals, but I really don't. They aren't that significant, and I don;t see enough to really evaluate Hahn as a deadline trader. (Jason Parks)
2012-03-06 13:00:00 (link to chat)Derek, Was it wise to draft Addison Reed with the last pick in my 5x5 and H2H league (I drafted two solid closers earlier in both drafts)? Will Reed start the season in the majors or, should I have taken a wait-and-see approach?
(JKries from Chicago)
Oh, he should start the season in the majors, but Matt Thornton appears to have the inside track on the closing gig. If it's a deep league he's fine to roster, especially with the last pick, but if we're looking at a 12-team mixed league and there are other closers on the wire, you may be able to do better than Reed. (Derek Carty)
2012-02-14 13:00:00 (link to chat)How quickly does Addison Reed get the closer gig for the Sox, mid-May?
(Tony from Chicago's Southside)
If Matt Thornton starts the year with the job, as Ventura has suggested, the best money is on 2013. Obviously it could happen sooner than that--closers lose their jobs every year--but a quality pitcher starting the year with the closer's role should be expected to keep it for the majority of the season. Of course Ventura is a huge wild card being a first-time manager with zero coaching experience, but I wouldn't bet on Reed getting it by mid-May. The best bets for him are either right out of the gate in April or, failing that, April of 2013. (Derek Carty)
2010-08-17 14:45:00 (link to chat)How would you approach the White Sox closer situation, both in the short term and 2011? Seems like there are some pretty useful assets, this weekend's implosion notwithstanding.
(ChuckR from Addison, IL)
Matt Thornton. Hands down. No questions. No ifs, ands or butts. (Eric Seidman)
2010-06-07 18:30:00 (link to chat)Kevin, was this a signability pick? Should we expect the Cubbies to take a guy with big money demands in the 2nd or 3rd ala Samardzija?
(J.P. from Chicago)
I don't know what it was. Just totally dying here on that one. Biggest first round shocker since Matt Thornton? Wow, as if the Rays needed a break here, they get the best high school hitter in the draft at 17. Teams with previous picks with regret this one. (Kevin Goldstein)


BP Roundtables

DateRoundtable NameComment
2010-07-13 16:30:00All-Star GameYou know how everyone snorted and chuckled last month when the Cubs took Hayden Simpson and the Yankees took Cito Culver? Well, in 1998, Matt Thornton was THAT guy. The 22nd pick in the draft out of tiny Grand Valley State in Michigan, NOBODY had him in the 1st-round mix that year, and here we are an he's an All-Star. That's why you can't get too worked up the day of. Man, I was too serious there for a second. (Kevin Goldstein)
2010-07-13 16:30:00All-Star GameMatt Thornton is warming and I'm officially giddy to be watching this. (Tommy Bennett)
 

PITCHf/x Pitcher Profile

A Collaboration between BrooksBaseball.net and Baseball Prospectus - Pitch classifications provided by Pitch Info LLC


Although he has not thrown an MLB pitch in 2024, Matt Thornton threw 7,981 pitches that were tracked by the PITCHf/x system between 2007 and 2016, all of them occuring in Spring Training. In 2016, he relied primarily on his Sinker (92mph), also mixing in a Splitter (86mph), Fourseam Fastball (92mph) and Slider (84mph).