Patton has elected free agency, Matt Eddy of Baseball America reports. Patton made just eight appearances with the Padres after coming over from Baltimore in late May, before shoulder troubles forced him onto the shelf. Rather than return him to the 40-man once he was healthy, the Padres simply designated the lefty for assignment, and Patton will now attempt to catch on elsewhere as a middle reliever. For his career, Patton owns a 3.25 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over 169 innings.