MLB: Rating the front offices of the NL West

San Diego Padres

A.J. Preller, Executive VP and GM: +4.6

Preller made 47 personnel moves affecting the team’s on-field capability in 2020, several of which created a significant impact. Those involved two noteworthy trades.

On Nov. 27, Preller sent pitcher Eric Lauer and infielder Luis Urias to Milwaukee for outfielder Trent Grisham and pitcher Zach Davies. Although little-discussed at the time, it was probably the off-season’s most impactful swap. Grisham and Davies produced +1.6 and +1.1 Wins Above Average respectively for the Padres, while Urias and Lauer combined to hurt the Brewers by a total of 1.1 games.

That’s nearly a four-game swing in one gesture.

Then on Dec. 6, he acquired infielder Jake Cronenworth and outfielder Tommy Pham from Tampa Bay in exchange for Hunter Renfroe and two minor leaguers. Cronenworth became a productive infielder and Pham a useful outfielder. Reduced to a number, it amounted to a 1.1 game pickup for the Padres.

And so it went all season. Jurickson Profar, Trevor Rosenthal, and Mike Clevinger all were productive pieces who came in deals. Preller acquired 19 players in deals with other teams at a net improvement to the Padres of 3.3 games.

He traded away another 13 and picked up an additional 2.6 games by ridding the team of them.

Here is a summary of the performance of the San Diego Padres front office since 2016.

• 2016:     -1.0
• 2017:     -7.1
• 2018:     -8.4
• 2019:     -4.2
• 2020:     +4.6