The San Diego Padres have reached a point where almost no offseason decision would come as a true surprise. General manager A.J. Preller has long shown a knack for unpredictability, something he displayed again at this year’s trade deadline when he unexpectedly landed standout pitcher Mason Miller. At the same time, the club’s financial picture has sparked ongoing concern. The team has been operating with a payroll weighed down by long term deals issued during the late Peter Seidler’s ownership tenure, leaving many to wonder whether more stars will need to be moved in order to create flexibility.
One prominent baseball insider believes the most realistic trade candidate is actually the Padres’ top starter from last season, a pitcher they signed less than a year ago. On Thursday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that San Diego has been surveying every possible trade avenue in hopes of strengthening its thin starting pitching depth. In Nightengale’s view, Nick Pivetta is likely to be dealt this winter, even though he has three seasons remaining on the four year contract worth fifty five million dollars that he agreed to last offseason.
Nightengale explained that the Padres are in a difficult spot. They urgently need more starting pitching and even gave serious consideration to offers involving Mason Miller as they searched for immediate help. Preller confirmed that discussions had included Miller, along with Adrian Morejón, Jeremiah Estrada and David Morgan. Nightengale predicted that the Padres could shock the league by moving Pivetta, who is set to earn twenty point five million dollars, in exchange for younger starters who can help both now and down the line.
Pivetta earned only four million dollars this past season due to a contract structure designed to lighten last year’s payroll burden, effectively delaying the larger financial hit. What no one could have forecasted was how dramatically he would elevate his performance. In thirty one starts, he produced a two point eight seven ERA, a massive improvement after four consecutive seasons with an ERA above four during his time with the Boston Red Sox.
At the moment, the Padres’ rotation beyond Pivetta includes Joe Musgrove, JP Sears, Randy Vasquez and Kyle Hart. Yu Darvish is expected to miss the entire upcoming season after undergoing internal brace surgery on his elbow. Trading Pivetta for two cheaper, controllable arms would be an inventive solution, but it is the type of move that could further frustrate a fan base still unsure why the organization has tightened its spending so dramatically.