The Padres may be readying to listen on most of their position players, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be anxious to move their most appealing pitching assets. Indeed, the San Diego organization would require “an overwhelming offer” in order to part with emergent relief ace Kirby Yates, per MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell.
It’s hardly surprising to hear this stance emerge at this stage of the proceedings. The Friars are still hanging in the Wild Card picture, for one thing. Even if it has mostly resolved to deal, there’s little reason for the organization to enter a period of negotiation by hanging an OBO on one of its best trade pieces.
The Padres’ leverage here is aided by the fact that Yates isn’t an asset that must be cashed in just yet. He’s earning only $3,062,000 this year and has another season of arb control remaining. Even if the Padres decide to move him, it doesn’t have to happen in the next six weeks.
San Diego GM A.J. Preller has dealt with a situation like this in the past, with interesting results. The Friars held onto Brad Hand at the 2017 deadline, when he was among the top trade candidates, then locked him into a high-value extension. The club ultimately spun Hand off via trade in the ensuing summer. The situation isn’t quite on all fours with this one. Hand was a season further from free agency than Yates will be this winter; the Pads are also closer to dedicated contention than they were at that time. Regardless, the takeaway is that there are options here beyond a summer trade.
Yates has been every bit as impressive as Hand from an on-field perspective. Much like his former teammate, Yates took some time to find his way. But he has not stopped improving since landing in San Diego. The 32-year-old currently owns an absurd 0.96 ERA with 15.4 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 over 28 innings. Yates has yet to allow a home run this season.
At some point, someone will put the ball over the fence against Yates. Perhaps there’s a bit of regression coming. On the other hand, Statcast actually feels he has been a bit unfortunate to post a .216 wOBA, crediting him with a ridiculous .210 xwOBA based upon the quality (or lack thereof) of contact against him.
With a cheap salary and remaining arb control, Yates would be a monster trade chip for the Padres. It’s hard to imagine that Preller won’t at least see what he can get. And he’ll surely be realistic about the team’s chances of even making a spirited Wild Card run. At the same time, the organization has already proven it’ll push some chips toward the present with major free agent signings and the Opening Day promotion of Fernando Tatis. It’s possible to imagine a number of different plausible outcomes when it comes to Yates and the Padres.
Maikel Franco and Vince Velazquez for Yates and Tatis Jr
Lmao what are you cheifing on there fella??
It is an overwhelming offer. The Padres are only trading him in an overwhelming offer deal. Therefore, this trade goes through.
I like that deal!!
I have been reading MLBTR for years but have never registered to comment. This trade proposal is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read on the internet. So much so that I felt I needed to create an account to point out what everyone already knows.
AND PRINT IT!!!
What about Kinsler for Mike Trout?
lol Padres spending money on Hosmer and Machado and are dealing away guys this year. What a colassal failure. That’s why you don’t sign free agents when your finished last place
Bingo
What?
They signed Hosmer and Machado for “the long haul”.
The Padres window is 2020-2024
Trading Yates for a SP or CF fits this goal.
They aren’t trading anyone to continue the rebuild…..the Farm is done.
They can now trade to upgrade a couple areas only.
The long haul lol
how about Nola and Velazquez for Yates.. 2 for 1
Great deal
Ji-Man Choi, a bucket of gum, a vending machine, and a half eaten bag of ranch seeds for Yates
No washing machine? No deal.
I’ll include a used washer from the laundry mat, but no dryer
Hopefully you didn’t take too long to come up with that….
king”i only like serious proposals i hate jokes!”kooba with the imperative commentary
Twins would be a good destination.
Nick Gordon and Brusdar Gaterol for Yates Stammen and Erlin would be good.
Neal Huntington!?!? What are you doing here?
He’s peaked, his value will never be higher. Move him now or you’ll be sorry.
Just like Brad Hand,right?
and look what they got for Hand…a 3rd string catcher who isn’t good defensively, won’t learn a new position, and hasn’t shown that he can hit ML pitching.
Might be smart to lock him up to an extension like they did with Hand.
But looking at it from Yates’ perspective, after seeing what happened with Seth Smith, Yangervis Solarte and Brad Hand, I question the acuity of signing an extension with the Padres for anything less than market value.
You forgot to mention one name on that list of yours…
Who?
The padres are a friggin joke, seriously how that moron still has the job of being a gm is absolutely insane, the guy is a strait up moron. Seriously don’t argue this point, there isn’t one padre fan that can stand up for this guy with pride. You’ve been rebuilding since what 2010???
TIL that trading for Justin Upton, Wil Myers, Matt Kemp and Craig Kimbrel all in the same offseason constitutes “rebuilding.”
Show me your tatis, I have tried to reason with people that Preller took a shot and broke the rebuild in 2016 when they went out and acquired Upton, Kimbrel and company but they feel compelled to push this narative no matter how fictional it is.
Number 1 Farm System. Also, AJ Preller hasn’t been GM since 2010. Finally, you talk a lot of smack for someone hiding behind a keyboard. Seriously, what do think aboit Hedges for Mike Trout?
You need to take some persuasive writing classes. Way to back up your point…The word “moron” comes to mind, bit it isn’t AJ Preller we are thinking of.
Preller is one
So are you. Pot calling the kettle black.
The moron your referring to stole Tatis from the white soxs, Paddack from the marlins and have created the number one farm system in baseball ( for going a year and a half?). Please see your cave troll
So don’t argue this point yet you think Preller has been in SD since 2010?
Or are you blaming him for previous ineptitude?
Yeah…. that overwhelming offer they received for Brad Hand AND Adam Cimber is working out just great! Wait…. aren’t the padres reported to be looking for an upgrade at catcher? DOUBLE WAIT, didn’t they receive one player (a catcher) for brad hand last season?
A.J. Preller is in way over his head. Just go back to scouting and be the best international scout in baseball. GM is out of your league
Upgrade at catcher probably means acquiring a bat-able catcher to pair with the defensive-whiz, lack-bat Hedges in order to help balance a Padres roster that has made strides towards postseason contention.
Mejia is still just 23 and could be a valuable Major League asset, he simply needs to get over the wall that is Quadruple-A. They’ll keep him in the minors until rosters expand in September, unless Hedges a/o Austin Allen get hurt.
Hand’s (and Cimber’s) absence has lead to hard feelings from Padre fans, especially considering the state of the Padres bullpen as of today (the fan in me despise Adam Warren), but it’s still too early to call it a bad deal.
Let’s see how Mejia pans out before judging Preller on this. Rather, let’s judge him for his signing and continued loyalty to Ian “Froyo” Kinsler.
Still too early to write-off Mejia but yeah, Pads fans have to be a little nervous
Every trade Padre fan says could be while the players Preller gets back straight no less for Mejia stink
Yes that catcher that is only 23 or 24 and tearing up AAA pitching and is a top 50 prospect? Yes, where talking about the same guy… cool
Tearing up Triple A that’s Padre fans favorite thing to say
How about return for Kimbrel and Pomeranz that’s too early also
Good for you. You came up with an example that looks true for the moment. Dont bring up the fact that when Preller traded Hand for that ONE prospect we was a consensus to 20 prospect or the fact that the Padres want to move him out of catching to preserve him as the explanation why they are looking for a catcher upgrade. And did he struggle in the majors? Yes, for a grand total of 130 AB’s but hey, what prospect ever struggles in the majors, right? And what chance does a 23 year old have? WAY passes his prime!
You know why I really cant stand posters like you who feel compelled to push unreasonable narratives about Preller and the Padres? You make me sound like a Padres fan and Im not.
Almost 100 games under .500 as GM and Padre fans love Preller
And Padreforlife does nothing BUT complain, complain, complain. I hope you don’t act like this around your family. If you do, consider this a wakeup call.
One of the few relievers I’d be comfortable with the Twins paying a significant prospect price for. Kirilloff maybe?
We could offer Kingery (can play anywhere on the field), some prospects, and take Wil Myers’s salary off their hands for Yates and Franmil. Maikel Franco and Nick Pivetta can go too.
Where do you all think the Padres would play Franco? Why does his name keep coming up on this thread? I’m super confused…
Because Franco is stinking the place up and he’s a Phillies fan who wants to drop one of their biggest issues on the Padres.
Franco + Medina + another prosect for Yates or not good enough
So bc you wrote this his era is now 1.24 and he gave up a homerun.
Can’t pitch in non-save situations. Most closers can’t.
Yates also hasn’t pitched in big games could crumble like Hand last year
When did Hand crumble?
In postseason last year
So did HOFer Trevor Hoffman. That guy should never have been a closer.
What a game Friday! Take Renfroe off trade list. Must keep him. Not many guys have power to hit 3 HR…..much less do it. He also has a gun in OF. Myers must go!
Reyes, renfroe, & Cordero/Margot seem to be best combo. LH Cordero probably has edge…he has sick power too. Margot can’t get out of doghouse. Good trade piece….he is better than Myers but they are showcasing Myers to move him….hopefully…or GM is embarrassed about his stupid contract.
Kirby Yates was a journeyman who is lightning in a bottle. If you can get a lot for a reliever, you should almost always trade him. He is this years Anthony Swarczak
BS. Posturing. One good prospect & he’s gone. This is the Padres people.
Get rid of the scrubs in the bullpen….maton,Erlin….they get bombed repeatedly.
Preach.
I’m over each and every one of those guys
Preller aside from Tatis going on 5 years knows how to get lot of dog crap for good player
“Showcasing Myers”
Showcasing Myers as a very overpaid player that no team will trade for.