Just when you thought the San Diego Padres were done making moves to push for a World Series title, they laugh and do it again, this time with a rumored deal Max Scherzer.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal dropped a bombshell that the former World Series Champion could be headed to San Diego after speculation of where and to whom he would be traded.
BREAKING: Padres close to acquiring Max Scherzer, sources tell @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 29, 2021
The NL West division just got a little more interesting. For one, the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers reside within it and boast an incredible lineup of their own. Also, they were in the mix to acquire Scherzer, as were the San Francisco Giants. Instead, both division rivals may have to endure Scherzer in a different uniform.
Furthermore, San Diego continues to mortgage the future to win now. Keep in mind that San Diego has made two trips to the Fall Classic in 1984 and 1998, both coming up empty while winning only one game total in two series. San Diego lost 4-1 to Detroit in ’84 and was swept by the Yankees in ’98.
Acquiring Max Scherzer would make the San Diego Padres a true contender to win both the NL and the World Series.
In his career with Washington, Max Scherzer registered a 2.88 ERA with over 1,000 strikeouts, six All-Star Appearances, and a World Series Championship in 2019. If that’s not an impressive resume in and of itself, what is? Furthermore, has anyone really looked into what this means for the Padres as a whole?
They have their stars, and they have a very formidable lineup, but the goal isn’t about collecting stars; it’s about winning the Fall Classic. Now, the pressure only intensifies, even though San Diego doesn’t have a World Series trophy in their collection. Plus, whoever comes out of the American League is certainly going to pose a threat, so this move was a blockbuster headline but also one of need.
Moreover, you have to also feel for the Washington fanbase and what Scherzer meant to the organization upon his arrival. After all, he was part of a team that at one point was 19-31 and rebounded to not only make the World Series but win it against the Houston Astros in seven games, giving DC a memory that will last forever.
The San Diego Padres may get their man, and though he’s 37, Max Scherzer is the kind of player you make a big trade for. In the end, if there is no trophy to show for it, the move will be wasted. But if the Padres are the last team standing in October, we may look back on this trade as the one move that changed the fortunes and flipped the script.