 Jumping between the big leagues and Mexico for the next few seasons, he put together one more solid big-league season in 1996 for the San Diego Padres, going 13–8 with a 3.62 ERA.He retired a year later with a final record of 173–153 and a 3.54 ERA as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.The Los Angeles Dodgers invited him to spring training in 1999, but he declined the offer.