The Miami Marlins have officially designated veteran right-hander Chris Paddack for assignment, bringing an abrupt end to his short-lived tenure with the team. The move, announced Tuesday, marks a tough break for the 30-year-old pitcher, who joined the Marlins with high hopes on a one-year, $4 million free agent deal this past offseason.

Paddack was initially penciled in as a back-of-the-rotation starter, offering the promise of stability and experience. But things didn't go according to plan. Over seven starts, he struggled mightily, posting an 0-5 record with a bloated 7.63 ERA. In fact, he managed to complete six innings in just one of those outings.

The final straw came Sunday, when Paddack unraveled in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies, surrendering six runs before being pulled after just 2 2/3 innings. He finished the day allowing seven earned runs, and the Marlins front office decided it was time to move on.

"It came down to a performance thing," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough explained. "Throughout spring training, he was very open to the initiatives we have going here. We felt he could give us stability in the rotation. As we discussed further after the other day, now is the best time for us to look to make a change in that spot."

For Paddack, this latest chapter is a disappointing one in a career that once showed so much promise. Originally drafted by the Marlins in 2015, he was traded to San Diego the following year while still in Miami's minor league system. He made his big league debut with the Padres in 2019 and spent the next three seasons there before moving on to stints with Minnesota and Detroit over the last four years.

In a corresponding roster move, the Marlins have called up right-handed pitcher William Kempner from Triple-A Jacksonville. As for Paddack, he'll now wait to see if another team takes a chance on his arm—or if he'll be back on the open market looking for a fresh start.