The Padres' rotation will have a different look next year after Wade LeBlanc and Aaron Harang departed via trade and free agency, respectively, but the club isn't planning to move its homegrown ace. Tom Krasovic of Inside The Padres reports that San Diego is not shopping Mat Latos, but other teams don't think the right-hander is cemented in the team's long-term plans.
Latos, 24, is coming off two stellar seasons despite a bout with shoulder inflammation early in 2011. Since the start of 2010, he's pitched to a 3.21 ERA in 379 innings across 62 starts. He's struck out 8.88 batters per nine innings, walked just 2.66 per nine, and generated a ground ball 43.7% of the time. The Padres control Latos for another four seasons, the final three as an arbitration-eligible player, so his trade value at the moment is substantial.
