28-year-old lefty Cory Luebke is working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Rather than return to the starting rotation, where he was when he was injured early in 2012, Padres GM Josh Byrnes suggested that Luebke could contribute out of the bullpen, according to Corey Brock on Twitter. The Padres are still looking for a lefty reliever.
Luebke started the 2011 season contributing out of the ‘pen, posting a 3.23 ERA in 39 innings. He was then moved into the starting rotation, compiling a 3.31 ERA in 100.2 innings spanning 17 starts through the end of the season. In the only five starts he made in 2012, Luebke posted a 2.61 ERA in 31 innings of work.
