Clarifying Padres' Options For Adding Ethan Salas to the Postseason Roster

There has been a lot of chatter over the last week about the possibility of Ethan Salas being called up by the San Diego Padres to make his MLB debut this season as the team makes a push for the postseason and then hopefully a lengthy run toward a third World Series appearance.

But there was a recent article in The Athletic that wasn't particularly clear on how that could happen, which has caused a little extra buzz from Friars fans.

As it stands right now, the tandem of Luis Campusano and Freddy Fermin are playing well, but both are also right-handed bats, whereas Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect, is a left-handed hitter and has been lighting it up in the three weeks since being promoted to the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas.

The Padres realistically have four choices to make regarding the 20-year-old catcher. Let's take a look at those possibilities:

Call Ethan Salas Up Before Sept. 1

This is the cleanest path for Salas making an impact down the stretch and into the postseason. He would be added to the 40-man roster before rosters expand in September, so no special permission would be needed. The Padres were recently carrying three catchers until infielder Gage Workman, acquired from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline along with right-handed starter Casey Mize, was added to the major-league roster. Workman has since been replaced by outfielder Austin Hays.

Salas could be added to the 26-man roster in place of outfielder Jase Bowen, whose role has lessened with Hays' presence, and to the 40-man by transferring right-hander Lucas Giolito to the 60-day injured list in a paperwork move (he has been out almost 60 days already). This would be the same process for any player claimed off waivers or signed and added to the roster before the end of August, like Hays.

Call Ethan Salas Up Before The End Of The Regular Season

No longer can you call up a slew of prospects when the calendar flips to September. That is now limited to two players, no more than one being a pitcher. So Salas can come up without knocking anyone off the MLB roster and with the same move with Giolito. With the call-up coming in September, the Commissioner's Office would need to sign off on Salas being on the postseason roster, but that is a rubber-stamp process since he was in the organization before Sept. 1.

One big example of this is right-handed reliever Francisco Rodriguez, who made his MLB debut for the Anaheim Angels on Sept. 18, 2002, and appeared in five regular-season games, then being a key member of the bullpen as the team won the World Series that year (before being called Los Angeles). This would also allow Salas to complete the regular season with the Chihuahuas, which runs through Sept. 20, a week before the MLB regular season concludes. If the Padres don't need him before then, this could be their best option.

Call Ethan Salas Up Before The Postseason Begins

There are two instances of this happening in recent years that come to mind. Just last year, Cleveland Guardians center fielder Chase DeLauter made his MLB debut by starting Games 2 and 3 of the AL Wild Card Series. The other came in 2015, when Kansas City Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi made his MLB debut in the World Series, pinch-hitting in the fifth inning of Game 3 (it would be his only appearance of the series). Both were added to the MLB roster and 40-man roster before those series began. While Salas will not have faced MLB pitching before, this path could also be good, as he will have had regular at-bats at Triple-A, then a week off before being put on the postseason roster (likely being on the taxi squad the final week and around the team).

Don't Call Ethan Salas Up Until 2027

I know, this is the least fun option. But this could also be beneficial for Salas. While any postseason experience would be tremendous to get his career off the ground, the downside would have to do with the owners promising to lock out the players on Dec. 1. If added to the Padres' roster, Salas would be just like any other MLB player and not able to use the Padres' facilities during the lockout or have any contact with the team.

But if Salas is not added to the major-league roster this season, he would be just like the rest of the minor-league players. The minor-league collective bargaining agreement doesn't expire until next year, so  for all players not on 40-man rosters, this will be like any other offseason. They'll then report to spring training as usual (albeit strange with no MLB players around). Salas should have a normal offseason after coming off a stress reaction in his lower back wiped out most all of his 2025 and would be able to ramp up for a 2027 season in which he most likely would be the Opening Day catcher, whenever that day actually comes.