Joe Thatcher earned his fifth hold by tossing two-thirds of a scoreless inning against the Cardinals on Monday night. When healthy, the southpaw has been terrific for the Padres. Between 2009-2011, he posted a 2.66 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 10.9 K/9 rate. This year he is 1-0 with a 2.13 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 10/1 K/BB rate over 21 appearances. As an effective LOOGY who calls PETCO home, Thatcher is a solid middle reliever in deeper NL-only formats.

Padres avoided arbitration with LHP Joe Thatcher by agreeing to a one-year, $1.35 million contract. It was Thatcher's second year of arbitration eligibility. When healthy, the southpaw has been terrific for the Padres since 2009, posting a 2.66 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 10.9 K/9 rate. He's coming off of arthroscopic surgery on his right knee but is expected to be fine for spring training.

Joe Thatcher will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on October 10. Thatcher has pitched through tendinitis this month, making the decision to delay surgery until the offseason. He's expected to be 100 percent by spring training.

Joe Thatcher (knee) is expected to be activated from the disabled list Friday. Thatcher began a rehab assignment with High-A Lake Elsinore Wednesday, and if he gets through that appearance OK, he'll be activated for the series against the Rockies. He might still require offseason knee surgery.

Joe Thatcher (knee) threw a simulated game Monday. He'll be ready for a short rehab assignment soon. Thatcher is expected to eventually need surgery on his right knee but is hoping to delay it until the offseason.

Joe Thatcher (knee) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday. Thatcher has been sidelined since late July with tendinitis in his right knee. He'll need surgery on the knee eventually but is hoping to return later this season and delay the operation until the offseason.

Joe Thatcher could need arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Thatcher went on the DL last month with tendinitis in the knee, but he soon developed sharp pain after that. He did say it's been "a lot better" in recent days to the point where he still thinks he could return later this season. Even if he does come back this year, Thatcher will have surgery over the offseason to address the issue.

Padres placed LHP Joe Thatcher on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to July 26, with tendinitis in his right knee. Thatcher sat out all weekend because of the knee discomfort and hadn't made enough progress by Monday afternoon. The 30-year-old left-hander has posted a 3.42 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 26 1/3 innings this season. He should be back within three weeks.

Joe Thatcher was unavailable for a second straight game Saturday due to a sore right knee. The Padres don't think he'll need a stint on the disabled list, but it's not clear when he'll be ready to pitch again. Thatcher holds a 3.42 ERA and 1.29 WHIP while striking out over a batter per inning in 40 games for the Pads this season.

The Padres plan to limit Joe Thatcher's workload during the early days of camp. Thatcher has begun the season on the disabled list in each of the past two years due to shoulder injuries (and even required surgery last May), so the hope is that the lighter workload will lead to less complications. "I've always gone to spring training thinking I had to impress everyone right away," said Thatcher. "And it's kind of against my nature to approach it any other way. But it's nice to have them know what they think I can do and be able to ease into it." If healthy, Thatcher should open the year as the Padres' primary left-handed specialist.