San Diego Padres: If I were GM for the day
The San Diego Padres are at the beginning of an intriguing offseason with numerous routes that could be taken, so if I were the GM for one day, here’s what I would do.
San Diego Padres GM A.J. Preller has a lot of work to do this winter, as he already has his boss, Ron Fowler, claiming that changes will be made if the team doesn’t start improving next season.
But for this exercise, Preller is letting me take over baseball operations for 24 hours, so here’s what I would do.
1. Go get a frontline starter not named Gerrit Cole
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Stephen Strasburg is at the forefront of every Padre fan’s mind right now and understandably so, but I believe he will be going back to the Washington Nationals.
So, if I were the GM, I would be calling Scott Boras to see what it would take to bring a Zack Wheeler or a Hyun-Jin Ryu to San Diego.
I have seen the reports that Strasburg might not be in the plans for this winter, so I am going to go in another route, which is to get cheaper starting pitchers.
Zack Wheeler would be the guy I would immediately go after. He has great stuff and his fastball jumps out of his with ease. I believe he could be the next Gerrit Cole if he is paired with the right pitching coach and Larry Rothschild would fit that bill.
My offer to Wheeler would be for five seasons so he is under control until 2024 meaning he would be in the brown and gold for the window of contention and I will give him $110 million. Some might think that five years is too much, but he is the best starter on the market past Strasburg and Cole, so if the Padres want him they will need to show him the money.
Peter Seidler has already said that if there is another big contract that makes sense, he will open up the checkbook, and I think that a Wheeler deal is perfect for both sides.
2. Go get a cheap outfield bat in the market
The San Diego Padres need a big outfield bat that can specifically play the corners, as it feels like the Wil Myers experiment should be coming to an end if there is a suitor willing to bet on him, and Hunter Renfroe is the only complete outfielder on the roster.
Next. Giants: Nicholas Castellanos, a necessary addition. dark
A left-handed bat to even out the lineup would be a plus, so I would talk to Corey Dickerson and see where his head was at. The other option I would consider is Avisail Garcia, who had a great year with the Tampa Bay Rays.