San Diego Padres Trade Deadline Wish List
Collectively, there was a sigh of relief among the Friar Faithful after the San Diego Padres swept a four-game weekend series over the Cincinnati Reds. But a sense of urgency is not far behind on their emotional meter as the fan base has been frustrated with the team’s inconsistent play in June. Currently, the Padres are 8-11 as the fans expect some tweaks to the roster before the Major League Baseball trade deadline on July 30.
We are a little over five weeks from that date, but it will be here before we know it. And no Padres fan is bashful to play GM and suggest a few players to acquire before the deadline. Each candidate could put the Friars over the top in the race to the National League West Division crown.
San Diego Padres trade targets
The San Diego Padres have a front office that is willing to make a move or two as they revamped their entire roster at last August’s trade deadline. Padres general manager AJ Preller has gone away from the trend of refusing to trade away prospects for proven talent. Adding key additions to the mix will show a commitment to winning and leave fewer questions in the air heading into the dog days of the 2021 season.
Here are a few suggestions that should get the Friar Faithful excited and the team back on course for their season goal of playing postseason baseball:
Adam Frazier, Pittsburgh Pirates
The San Diego Padres need another dependable bat in the lineup as their offense has been middle-of-the-pack all season long. Tommy Pham’s struggles at the plate have put more pressure on Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. to supply more right-handed hitting power to the attack.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in a midst of a rebuild and they’re looking to move some veterans off the roster. Just imagine if the Friars could pry Adam Frazier away from the Pirates and place him in between Trent Grisham and Tatis Jr, in the batting order. His ability at the plate will give the Padres a more effective lineup.
Here is a potential lineup:
1. Trent Grisham CF
2. Adam Frazier LF
3. Fernando Tatis Jr. SS
4. Manny Machado 3B
5. Eric Hosmer 1B
6. Wil Myers RF
7. Jake Cronenworth 2B
8. Austin Nola C
Acquiring Frazier makes sense from a baseball perspective as he gives the Padres an ideal No 2 hitter who can hit to all fields. The Friars need another dependable bat as the biggest problem with the offense is the inability to plate runners in scoring position. Frazier is perfect at putting the ball into play as he is batting .327 with 23 doubles and an .848 OPS.
Plus, Frazier is versatile enough to play anywhere on the diamond. By trade, he is a second baseman, but Frazier is a solid defensive outfielder who can play either corner position. His salary ($4.2 million for 2021) is an easy fit, so acquiring him should be a no-brainer for the Padres.
Kyle Gibson, Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers are floundering in the basement of the American League West. Their current predicament will force them to begin purging valuable trade chips off the roster this July. One of the top candidates is Kyle Gibson who is having an outstanding season thus far. He has one year to go on a three-year deal at $7 million, which will make Gibson much more than a two-month rental.
It is hard to imagine how far-removed Gibson is from his career 4.57 ERA. Through 13 starts, the 33-year-old owns a 2,09 ERA thanks to his ability to miss bats and keep runners off the base path.
Gibson is a proven innings-eater as he leads the majors with 11 quality starts. He fits perfectly into the back end of the Padres rotation as those current starters have struggled against quality hitting lineups. Their inconsistency has put more emphasis on the offense to score runs.
Yes, the Padres have several internal (Ryan Weathers and MacKenzie Gore) options that could be inserted into the rotation. But it would be wise to add another veteran starter at the trade deadline. Preller’s relationship with the Rangers organization may help to bring Gibson to San Diego, but there will be no discount in the price to be sent back to Texas.
Richard Rodriguez, Pittsburgh Pirates
The Friars need to be aggressive in pursuing another arm for the bullpen, but they will not be the only team looking to upgrade this position.
One of their targets could be another Pirates player in team closer Richard Rodriguez. Currently, Rodriguez has a 1.71 ERA with an 0.684 WHIP and 7 saves in 25 appearances this season. However, his strike per nine innings average has dipped from 13.1 a year ago to 6.8 in 2021. Still, no one should question his effectiveness as a late-inning reliever.
Whoever acquires Rodriguez could change the shape of the NL playoff chase. Plus, that team will have control of his services through the 2023 season. The asking price by the Pirates will be significant, but Rodriquez could be the difference in hoisting a World Series trophy in the air.
Padres not worried about Tatis' shoulder. dark. Next
The San Diego Padres like other playoff contenders have holes to fill on their roster. It is important to keep a close eye on them for the next month. The reason being if they resolve their pertinent issues, then the Friars have an excellent chance of playing October baseball.