Trade talk: Where the Padres reportedly stand 24 hours prior to the trade deadline

By John Horvath
Published

SAN DIEGO-- With roughly 24 hours remaining until Tuesday's 1 P.M. PT trade deadline, here is where the Padres reportedly stand...

TRADED AWAY:



    The Padres and Indians joined forces on July 19 for one of the biggest deals of the deadline to date. It was a deal that seemed abrupt and somewhat shocking at the time, but the two organizations were logical trade partners. Cleveland, who was leading a poor AL Central division despite having one of the worst bullpens in baseball, desperately needed relief help. The Padres were reportedly looking for a young, everyday starter in return for Hand, and they got that with top catching prospect Francisco Mejia.

    REPORTEDLY IN PLAY:




      There are plenty of available pieces on this Padres team, as one might expect.

      Tyson Ross was a popular name floated in trade talks prior to July. In 16 starts from April to June, the right-hander went 5-5 with a 3.32 ERA, striking out 90 batters in 95 innings pitched. He held opposing batters to a .222 average, and it seemed he was a slam-dunk to be dealt to a contender. Then, July came. Ross has an 8.87 ERA in five starts this month, allowing 28 hits and 23 earned runs in 23 1/3 innings pitched. Opposing hitters are recording a .950 OPS in that time, and Ross has seen his ERA jump to 4.41. Due to the fact he is a rental, coming off thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, and has struggled as of late, the return in a potential trade will be minimal. A.J. Preller & co. might be best served packaging him with a reliever or two or maximize his value.







      Speaking of relievers..

      Craig Stammen and/or Kirby Yates could very well be dealt prior to Tuesday's deadline. According to the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo and The Athletic's Dennis Lin, the duo is highly coveted in the trade market. It makes sense, too, as both are affordable and controllable. Stammen has a 2.63 ERA in 46 games (51 1/3 innings) and is striking out an average of more than 10 batters per nine innings. His 1.7 fWAR is good for 5th in all of baseball, tied with Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman. As far as Kirby Yates is concerned, he has only allowed seven hits to right-handed batters all season long. He is striking out nearly 11 1/2 batters per nine innings, and the ERA (1.60) is excellent. The relief market is rather crowded, so a trade isn't a guarantee. However, it seems like a pretty good bet at least one of the three aforementioned arms will be donning a different uniform come August 1.

      On the position player side, FOX Sports San Diego insider Scott Miller reported that the Padres are listening on OF Hunter Renfroe and 3B Christian Villanueva:

      https://twitter.com/FOXSportsSD/status/1020502326715461632

      Out of the duo, it appears like Hunter Renfroe would be the more likely player to go, but even that may be like a long shot at this point. Both players have struggled offensively as of late, and the Padres will likely use the final two months of the season to evaluate the duo's future with the club.

      The same goes for nearly every other position player in San Diego, sans 1B Eric Hosmer.

      REPORTED TARGETS















        In recent days, the Padres have been connected to a handful of controllable starting pitchers:

        https://twitter.com/MLBONFOX/status/1023294784562053120

        https://twitter.com/dennistlin/status/1021947728539070470

        Archer, 29, is a pitcher whose peripherals have almost always looked better than his actual stats. This season, Archer has struck out more than a batter per inning and has a 3.62 FIP in 17 starts. However, he is 3-5 with a 4.31 ERA, and hasn’t had a season with an ERA under 4 since 2015.

        There appears to be room for improvement, though, and given the Padres' serious interest, they believe he can reach his potential. Archer also has a team-friendly contract ($7.5 mil in 2019, $8.25 mil club options for ’20 & ’21), which enhances his trade value even more.

        The prime question is who the Padres would be willing to give up for Archer. Marc Topkin from the Tampa Bay Times reported that a power-hitting outfielder and a young catcher would be a "good start" to a package for the right-hander. MLB.com's Jon Morosi stated that Fernando Tatis Jr. & MacKenzie Gore were "off limits" for a potential trade, but San Diego had shown a willingness to part with other prospects.. whoever that may be.

        The Padres are not alone in their interest. The Pirates, Braves, Yankees, and Dodgers (among other teams) have also inquired on the Rays starter.

        https://twitter.com/Joelsherman1/status/1024004826907205633

        As far as Syndergaard and other potential available starters, the Padres would likely be better served revisiting a trade in the offseason.

        This trade deadline has been one of the more active ones in recent memory, and there is nothing to say that these next 24 hours will be any different.