3 moves for San Diego Padres this offseason

Find a taker for Eric Hosmer

Eric Hosmer was a key signing for the San Diego Padres. When he was inked to an eight year deal prior to the 2018 season, he showed that the Padres were serious about building a contending team.

A lot has changed in those four years. The Padres have one of the more talented rosters in the game, even if it has resulted in only one playoff appearance. In that time, Hosmer has gone from a symbol that the Padres are ready to contend to a player that they are looking to rid themselves of.

The problem is that, as solid of a player as he may have been with the Royals, he has not been the same in San Diego. His defensive metrics have slipped, removing a portion of his value. Hosmer has also produced a 102 OPS+ with 61 homers and 94 doubles in his 2065 plate appearances with the Padres.

This is also something that the Padres are aware of. They made a brief attempt to deal him at the trade deadline and were reportedly willing to attach a top prospect in their system to make a deal happen. With several teams in need of a first baseman, it is time to revisit those trade attempts once more, even if it means adding that prospect or taking on a large portion of his remaining salary.

Eric Hosmer had been a sign that the San Diego Padres were looking to contend. Now, he is someone that they need to move on from.