One of the few teams you wouldn’t count out of a major trade in Spring Training is the San Diego Padres, given their wheeling-and-dealing GM A.J. Preller. But it takes two to tango and all that, which still makes it unlikely we see a major deal … unless it takes three to tango. Which is easier and more likely?
Such is the latest rumor coming out of San Diego, where the Padres are still trying to add an impactful position player, while dangling prospects, and also trying to unload Wil Myers and his contract:
The Padres, who have shelled out more than $500 million in free agency over these last three offseasons, are still looking for ways to upgrade before Opening Day. The scenarios under consideration include a three-team trade. https://t.co/B0cp28gB4s
— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) February 19, 2020
Per Dennis Lin, because the Padres had already been engaged with the Red Sox on Myers and prospects from the Mookie Betts trade talks, they’re looking at an angle that could land them Nick Senzel from the Reds: “As part of these considerations, the Padres have discussed a potential three-team trade that would ship Myers to the Red Sox and land Cincinnati Reds center fielder-second baseman Nick Senzel in San Diego, two sources told The Athletic. No agreement is imminent, and it is unknown what the Reds would receive in this scenario. But for the Padres, Senzel would fill a need in the middle of the outfield.”
To be sure, the Reds could afford to part with Senzel, having made multiple additions to their outfield, but in a win-now moment, they’d want to pick up some seriously impactful near-term pieces in this kind of trade. So I guess they would get some of that from each of the Red Sox and Padres? Each of whom are also still trying to compete, though? It’s a bit weird.
The Red Sox/Padres part actually makes perfect sense, as the Red Sox – post-Betts/Price trade – can take on much of Myers’ contract in exchange for picking up prospects from the Padres (essentially “buying” the prospects).
Incorporating the Reds, however, seems harder to see, outside of the fact that the Padres maybe just really, really want Senzel (as has previously been rumored).
Given the NL and NL Central implications here, we’ll keep an eye on this one. A Padres-Red Sox trade wouldn’t surprise me, given their extensive previous talks. A bigger deal would be much more of a surprise.