San Diego Padres pairing top prospect with Eric Hosmer

The San Diego Padres are ready to move on from Eric Hosmer. As they have completely revamped their roster, adding pieces to the lineup, Hosmer’s league average production just is not enough at first base. He may have been the first big ticket free agent to sign in San Diego, but halfway through his contract, he has overstayed his welcome.

The problem is finding a team willing to take on the rest of his deal. In order to entice another team, the Padres are reportedly attaching one of their top prospects to Hosmer in order to make a trade happen.

San Diego Padres willing to pay to part with Eric Hosmer

Hosmer has been relatively solid this season, although his production is not what a team would hope for from a first baseman. He has produced a .267/.331/.380 batting line in his 360 plate appearances, hitting eight homers and 13 doubles. That batting line has led to an exact 100 OPS+, which would be league average this year.

Given that middling production, it is understandable that the Padres would like to move on. The problem is that he is in the midst of an eight year contract worth $144 million, and is still due another $60 million over the next four years. That is likely more than any team would want to pay for his services.

But the fact that the Padres are willing to attach such a high level prospect to Hosmer is enticing. Any of those four prospects – CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, Luis Campusano, and Robert Hassell – would be quite the incentive. For a team in need of a first baseman, such as the Marlins, Brewers, or Yankees, landing such a prospect could have them pull the trigger on a deal.

Putting Hosmer on the block shows how far the Padres have come. He was their first marquee free agent of the current era, the player they signed to show the rest of the league that they were serious about contending. Now, not even four years later, San Diego is looking to pay a team to take him on because they do not have enough room in the lineup.

The San Diego Padres are willing to part with a top prospect to send Eric Hosmer elsewhere. That may be enough to make a trade happen.