Numerous reasons are contributing to the San Diego Padres’ quiet summer.
The Padres are now embroiled in an ownership battle and are making a valiant effort to reduce spending. As a result, thus far, they have only signed one free agent to a major league contract.
It’s also no secret that they are aggressively seeking to trade some of their best pitchers in an attempt to maintain their competitiveness.
Two Padres who have been in the center of trade negotiations are Dylan Cease and Michael King. Additionally, both of these sportsmen had a very successful 2024.
Cease was 14-8 with a 3.57 ERA after throwing 189.1 innings, which was a career best. He also had a career-high strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.45 by adding 224 strikeouts to only 65 walks.
King had a 2.95 ERA and a 13-9 record in 2024, putting up similarly impressive figures. He struck out 173 batters with 201.Pitched to just 63 walks in 2 innings. He achieved career highs in innings thrown, victories, and strikeouts.
On MLB Network’s Hot Stove, MLB Insider Harold Reynolds recently expressed his opinion that San Diego shouldn’t trade their best pitchers because they helped them reach the postseason the previous season.
San Diego doesn’t have much leeway, even though Reynolds is urging them to move from their crop of offensive talents.
Because Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado don’t have very amenable trade agreements, Reynolds selected Fernando Tatis Jr., a player who has come to represent the Padres throughout his career.
“The one player that can change the whole direction of this organization, that’s Tatis, and I’m putting him on the market to trade,” Reynolds stated.
“And now I keep my pitching, I’ll get back something for Tatis, and we will keep this thing rolling,” he said. You know how difficult it is to find pitching in today’s game, so why would I go out and say I’m getting rid of my pitching? I simply fail to see it.
Reynolds claims that finding a pitcher is difficult, but Tatis is a skill that would be even more uncommon in the baseball world.
Tatis has a batting average of.279, 561 hits, 322 RBIs, and 127 home runs in his five seasons with San Diego.
In addition to having two Silver Slugger medals, two All-Star selections, a Gold Glove, and even a Platinum Glove, he also has a close bond with the fans. Tatis, a franchise mainstay who is only 26 years old, is someone the fans will never want to see in another uniform.
Even if this summer has been crazy, Tatis shouldn’t be the primary target of trade rumors. Tatis hit four home runs and seven RBIs in just seven games during the 2024 postseason run.
Tatis is the player the Padres want wearing a Padres jersey when they return to the postseason. It would turn out to be a huge mistake to trade him, and the remorse would last for years.
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