San Diego Padres recall former OF now LHP Jason Lane from Triple-A

San Diego, CA- The San Diego Padres have recalled former Major League Outfielder turned LHP Pitcher Jason Lane from Triple-A El Paso. The Padres needed an extra arm in the bullpen tonight after using seven pitchers in last night’s 10-3 lost to the Pirates. To make room for Jason Lane and Jesse Hahn the Padres have placed Eric Stults on the bereavement list and optioned Donn Roach.

Jason Lane, 37, converted to being a pitcher in 2011 with the Arizona Diamondbacks Triple-A team and this season for El Paso Lane is (5-4) with a 4.36 earned run average in 11 starts for the Chihuahuas. Lane is also batting .407 (11 for 27) as a pinch-hitter off the bench for El Paso.

Jason Lane was drafted by the Houston Astros in of the sixth round of the 1999 MLB Draft out of the University of Southern California. Lane spent six seasons in the Major Leagues with the Houston Astros and San Diego Padres and last played in the Major Leagues with the Padres in 2007. Jason Lane is most remembered for his 17th inning home run in Game 4 of the 2005 National League Division Series to win the game for the Astros to send them to the World Series.

Lane has spent the past seven seasons in the minor leagues with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres. Lane also spent two seasons in the Independent League with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs and Sugar Land Skeeters.

The New York Times Tyler Kepner this week wrote an intriguing article “Pitching for Fun, and for a Future” on former Major Leaguers Jeff Francoeur and Jason Lane who are both performing as position players and pitchers for the Padres Triple-A team to give themselves another chance at the Big Leagues.