New York Mets: Top three destinations for Zack Wheeler
1. San Diego Padres
Ken Rosenthal labeled GM A.J. Preller as an executive who is under pressure at this week’s GM meetings, and one of his needs is starting pitching.
Owner Ron Fowler has said that if the team does not perform better under Preller’s hire, Jayce Tingler, then changes will be made.
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But Peter Seidler has said that the team is willing to spend money on players for the third offseason in a row as new jerseys come with big expectations.
And Zack Wheeler is worth spending money on.
The Padres have a very young rotation that includes Chris Paddack and Dinelson Lamet with prospects MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patino on the way, but they don’t have an experienced arm that still has a lot of potential.
Padres fans might be begging for Preller to bring Stephen Strasburg home, but he likes in Washington and they just won a World Series so I wouldn’t blame him if he wants to stay there which means I wouldn’t bank on him coming to San Diego.
But Zack Wheeler would be a more affordable starter who would get to mentor the young starters in the rotation while at the same time being mentored by one of the best pitching coaches in the game in the Padres new pitching coach, Larry Rothschild.
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I believe Wheeler’s best fit is with the Padres because they are ready to contend in 2020 and need a guy to lead a young rotation in addition to providing him with an experienced pitching coach.