San Diego Padres set sights high by targeting Whit Merrifield

The San Diego Padres are looking for another second baseman, and are setting their sights high.

As currently constructed, the San Diego Padres have an opening on their roster at second base. Nominal second baseman of the future Luis Urias was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, leaving a void on the right side of the infield. While there are internal options available, such as Ian Kinsler, Greg Garcia, and Jurickson Profar, none of them are exactly exciting candidates.

Instead, the Padres are hunting for another option. Naturally, they have set their sights high, targeting Kansas City Royals utility man Whit Merrifield for that opening. The Royals, however, have been reluctant to part ways with one of their top players, especially as he embodies the type of player that general manager Dayton Moore wants as the team rebuilds.

Merrifield has been a popular name in the rumor mill. The 30 year old has been a revelation since being added to the lineup, leading the league in hits and steals twice. Merrifield has also filled in around the Royals lineup, spending time at second, first, and all three outfield spots last season.

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Named to his first All Star Game last year, Merrifield had another typically solid year. He produced a .302/.348/.463 batting line, hitting 41 doubles and 16 homers while stealing 20 bases. Merrifield led the league with 206 hits and ten triples while appearing in every game last season.

Understandably, the Royals have a high price tag for Merrifield’s services, even if they are not actively shopping him. However, as Moore stated, no player in the Royals organization is untouchable if the right deal comes along. For Kansas City, that likely involves a package of prospects that includes players close to contributing at the major league level.

Given those likely demands, the Padres make sense as a suitor for Merrifield. They have one of the deeper systems in the game, as well as the type of impact prospects the Royals would be searching for. For San Diego, adding Merrifield would be another sign that they are serious about contending in 2020, looking to accelerate their timeline even further.

The San Diego Padres are amongst a multitude of potential suitors for Whit Merrifield. However, they may actually have enough to entice the Kansas City Royals to make a trade.