NEWSLETTER
The Cubs are assuredly not the only team out there that would love to “buy” a prospect from the Padres. They aren’t even the only team out there in a good position – financially and available roster areas – to pull it off. So don’t read the obsession that way.
It’s just that the Cubs are in one of the BEST positions to do it, and the one team we KNOW has had repeated talks with the Padres about a salary-unloading deal since the last trade deadline. Also, we KNOW the sides had deep talks about Padres prospects in order to pull off the Yu Darvish trade. It’s not remotely a stretch to focus on the Cubs, in particular, when talking about the Padres wanting to send a prospect to a team in order to dump a contract.
Thus, when I see confirmation coming out of the lockout that the Padres are still hurriedly trying to move a contract, as a Cubs fan, I take notice:
Per sources, the Padres are "aggressively shopping" both Eric Hosmer & Wil Myers.
Hosmer:
* 4 years/$60M left on deal
* Limited no-trade (can block deals to 10 teams)
* can opt out after '22
* 10-5 rights after '22Myers:
* owed $20M in '22
* $20M '23 club option ($1M buyout)— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) March 13, 2022
AGGRESSIVELY SHOPPING. I think the timing is not coincidental on this, either:
Nelson Cruz is close to making a decision, and it appears to be down to the Dodgers and Padres, per source.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) March 13, 2022
It’s a good bet that the Padres would like to move significant salary BEFORE they might make a pricey commitment to Nelson Cruz. We know that’s what the rumors aplenty were saying about the Padres’ situation all along: they want to add, but they can’t really add significant 2022 dollars until they move one of Hosmer or Myers first.
To be sure, teams out there would much rather have Myers, both because of his shorter/smaller guarantee remaining and also because he’s more likely to actually be productive. But here’s the thing: that’s precisely why you could get a lot more for acquiring Hosmer. And it’s also a lock that’s why the Padres would much prefer to move Hosmer (or at least part of his contract) if they could choose only one of the two.
So that’s, again, why I think a lot about the Cubs, who’ve already talked to the Padres about Hosmer (and top catching prospect Luis Campusano), and who could at least give Hosmer a chance to contribute as a platoon first baseman. As I keep saying when this comes up, you aren’t TRYING to acquire Hosmer – you’re simply taking part of his contract so that you can get a great prospect – but if you have him anyway and he can contribute in a limited role, heck, give it a shot. If it doesn’t work out, you can release him later, and you’re no worse for the wear.
I’m watching this situation closely.
