The Padres have officially acquired right-handed reliever Trevor Rosenthal from the Royals, both teams have announced. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported that the two sides were nearing an agreement. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports that outfielder Edward Olivares is part of the return headed to Kansas City in the deal. In addition, a player to be named later will go to the Royals in the deal, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
Rosenthal, 30, has emerged as one of the most sought-after relief pitchers on the trade market, representing a dramatic turnaround from a disastrous 2019 season—his return from Tommy John Surgery, which cost him the previous year—that saw him walk 26 batters in just 15 1/3 innings of work.
However, it seems that Rosenthal has for the most part returned to the form that made him an All-Star closer with the Cardinals in the first leg of his career. He’s grounded his walk numbers while striking out as many batters as ever, and he’s boasting a nice 3.29 ERA to match.
The Royals brought Rosenthal aboard as a minor-league signing last winter, and they’ve parlayed that low-cost acquisition into a nice payoff, not only getting 13 games of solid pitching from Rosenthal, but now acquiring a pair of pieces (the second of which remains unknown) that are more in line with the organization’s long-term outlook.
Rosenthal will join the Padres with the expectation that he’ll bolster a Padres bullpen that’s been worn down by injuries to Kirby Yates and Drew Pomeranz. Emilio Pagan and Craig Stammen have struggled to fill Yates’s shoes, and for the first time in years the Padres find themselves in position to make a win-now move to strengthen their best roster in recent memory. Rosenthal is only under contract through this year, so he’s a true rental, but his acquisition addresses a glaring need for San Diego.
Rosenthal, who by making the Royals’ MLB roster secured a $2MM base salary for the season, is only owed about $350K for the remainder of the year (due to prorated salaries and roughly half the season in the books), so there’s little obligation on San Diego’s end, outside of the prospect capital required to bring Rosenthal aboard.
The 24-year-old Olivares will depart the Padres after getting his first shot at the big leagues this year. Originally acquired from the Blue Jays in 2018, Olivares has forged a solid minor-league track record, including a 2019 season in which he slugged 18 home runs and stole 35 bases at the Double-A level. To start this year, he’s hit just .176/.222/.294 for the Padres, but he’s still just 34 at-bats into his Major League career.
Cool
Great pick up for the Padres for their playoff run, we have three RP’s on the IL
Because the Padres need more bullpen arms… Wow.
Does this move Quantrill to the rotation?
I mean they kinda do. But who doesn’t
they’re all injured though
The Padres do need more bullpen arms with Yates, Munoz, Castillo, all down for the year, Pomeranz on the IL and Stammen and Pagan looking very off.
They need Quantrill to stay in the pen, him and Strahm are the only two they can really trust right now, but getting Rosenthal would help stabilize the backend of the pen a lot until Pomeranz can get back.
Strahm has been good wdym
Strahm is good. I mean that Quantrill and Strahm are like the only two reliable relievers in the SD pen right now. Perdomo and Guerra are mop up guys. Pagan and Stammen are not pitching well and Hill/Johnson are kinda like mediocre.
Rosenthal plus Quantrill, Strahm and then a healthy Pomeranz is a bullpen that gives them a fighting chance in my mind.
oh im dumb, sorry, confused Strahm and Stammen in your post. too many of the same letters.
Quantrill needs to start. You don’t draft relievers in the top 10.
Mostly true, though sometimes you’ve got to admit with first rounders like Hochevar and now possibly Quantrill that after less-than-stellar rotation stints they may be most useful out of the ‘pen.
so if you had 6 ML ready guys drafted in the top 10 you’d have to start all of them? terrible take. doesnt matter where Quantrill was drafted, if him in the pen and his starting spot replacement provide morw value then if their roles were reversed, then you go with that.
Look up Sunk Cost
Over half of Quantrill’s time in the rotation was stellar. For the last month of last year he was terrible. The ship has far from sailed on Quantrill as a starter. He is just more valuable as a guy who can do anything, start, relieve or close than he is as just a starter right now.
@DarkSide830…
“With no AAA season, 2020 will expose Luis Urias for the AAAA player he is.”
Oh look, the dude has a .365 OBP this season.
Lucyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, you’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do!
@Steve Nebraska lol now you are calling a former top 10 pick with a 2.76 ERA this season a sunk cost?
@agentx no comparison. Hochevar struggled as a starter for years before they moved him to the pen. Quantrill has been more good than bad as a starter but Preller and co. have banished him to the pen because reasons.
They got a better player in Grisham. — Lucy
No, I am replying to your dumb reasoning that just because of where he was drafted, he ought to start. I think he can be a starter, but just because a guy is drafted in the top ten he has to start is the definition of sunk cost reasoning.
Seriously? You do know he only has 47 ab’s right?
Sometimes Draft Picks dont turn out the way you hoped. Then you just have to do what you can with the Player you have.
@csspackler Grisham plays a less premium position and has already started to crater after a hot start. His negativity is not good in the Padres’ clubhouse.
Adding on, the issue isn’t about Grisham, it’s about how this Dark Side guy spent all of last offseason hooting and hollering about how Luis Urias is a AAAA player.
@The Infinity Gauntlet according to who has Quantrill “not turned out the way we hoped?” He’s 25 years old. He looked pretty good as a starter except for the final month of 2019. You need to give him an actual chance before you can write him off as a starter.
wow, he’s hit well in 47 at bats. that’s great but that’s not exactly a large sample size, nor are his numbers outside of AVG all that great.
Yeah, he’s not a power hitter. Never has been.
As for the OBP, don’t go into hiding when he sustains it.
Who is Luis Urias? and who cares
@nowheretogobutup Clearly you do considering you commented.
Still waiting for you to provide proof of Luis Urias having “negativity.”
Pomeranz just activated. 100 percent healthy.
spack, feels like i haven’t seen a post from you in ages.
Ok cards starting to fall
Let’s get Clevinger or Plesac to Atlanta by the end of the day AA
Pache for Plesac make it happen
Pleasc is worth more then just Pache
No way Plesac is so overrated. If they were able to get a prospect of Pache’s caliber for Plesac, they would for sure pull that trigger.
dirt cheap and half a decade of control? did you also see the numbers he was posting before he was sent down?
The Braves ain’t doing that lol
The Indians ain’t doing that.
Yaz & Solano to Indians
Pache, Riley & Newcomb to Giants
Clevinger to the Braves
You would have to add a top 5 Giants prospect in there at minimum. Probably a top ten as well. Like Corry and Ramos/Wilson.
Indians say no thank you
For real. If I was an Indians fan, that trade would make me throw up in my mouth a little
No smart team is going to abandon their longterm strategy over this abbreviated season. In a 60-game schedule, the Orioles and Marlins are on the periphery of the playoffs. But that wouldn’t sustain itself over 162 games where both would lose in the neighborhood of 100 games. It’s doubtful that brain trust for either team thinks they have turned the corner. Similarly. a good team like the Indians isn’t going to dump Clevinger and/or Plesac now. Wait until the winter, assess what you have, and then do what’s best for the longterm health of the franchise.
Horrible trade for San Francisco. I can see them trading Solano now and Yaz over the winter, but not in the same trade. Zaidi’s a smart guy who can make a decent haul trading them separately. He can do much better than Pache, Riley, and Newcomb for Yaz by himself. Braves fans are funny. They somewhat rightfully complain that Riley and Newcomb stink, yet think professional general managers are going to trade good players for those two. I guess every team has fans like that: our stiffs for your studs.
Newcomb doesn’t stink he just isn’t a SP. He was quite effective coming out the pen last year.
Also Riley has displayed a better than expected glove this year and he has light tower power. He is young and should get it together.
Pache is a top prospect who is universally labeled the best defensive CF in minor league baseball. Something the Giants have been looking for in that ballpark since it opened.
Solano is a journeyman who is having a career year and that career year could be used by a contender.
Yaz was a AAAA player last year when the Giants got him. Is he Jose Bautista or is he Adam Duvall ???
Time will tell & the Giants rebuild don’t have the luxury of him turning into Duvall and not capitalizing when he has a chance to be Bautista. He is to old to be looked at as a building block.
There is DEFINITELY a 3-way trade there to be made, but not for Clevinger..
Braves get: Plesac, Solano
Indians get: Yaz, Wilson, Shewmake
Giants get: Waters, Touki
Something along those lines, maybe change some of the fillers, and it would work out alot more realistically…
The facts are, unless Cleveland feels they’re getting a solid, difference making OF’er they aren’t trading one of their starters, especially not Clevinger.
They’re asking way too much for Clevinger, and rightfully so, but Plesac could probably be had for the right price.
Kris Bryant to the Indians for Clevinger or Plesac. Helps both teams.
Except Cleveland wouldn’t take on that much salary. I don’t hate the idea of one for one, just can’t happen because of the economics.
Indians don’t want another outfielder who can’t hit. If other GM’s are anything like this sites GM’s their pitchers aren’t going anywhere. Very few people seem to comprehend the value of a proven starter with years of control. Look what Cubs and pirates gave up for lesser talent. What trash cans gave up for older more expensive. Deal would start with 2 elite prospects and go from there.
You’re right, the cards are starting to fall. Lost their last 4 games, hopefully no end in sight.
@Javia- This will definitely help the Friars in the playoffs this season.
Now go get Lynn A.J.
Padres are a fun team to watch right now. I like this pick up.
Does Staumont close for KC after?
I hope so, but I think they will give Barlow the first shot because it always works like that. Staumont should be the guy in my opinion.
I think you misspelled stammen
No, he meant Staumont, 26-year-old relief pitcher for the Royals. But I could see them going with a closer by committie role.
I know who he is I want stammen gone and going to the royals would help that
Matheny will use the “closer” in the highest leverage situation, whether that’s the 9th or the 7th. The traditional 9th inning only guy is going to be increasingly rare.
staumont or holland
You can never have enough pitching.
Rosenthal has pitched well this year and will fit right in, with Slam Diego!
Plesac, most likely not going anywhere. Jays, have discipline him and I thinking he will be back up this week. Blue Jays management have him under contract for another added year per contractual obligations.
Plesac, is on the Indians.
How do u confuse the blue jays and Indians?
Assuming he usurps Pagan as the Closer immediately?
Yes until Pomeranz can come off the IL
Wow only took Pomeranz 15 minutes to come off IL. That was quick.
I would guess Pom is the 9th inning guy, but earlier in the season they did randomly throw him in the 7th inning once to face a part of the lineup with a lot of lefties and then they let Quantrill close so they could let both Rosenthal and Pom close depending on matchups and what part of the lineup they are facing.
Olivares heading to the Royals.
Seems like certain teams always trade with each other.
Since the offseason, the padres have made at least two trades with the:
Royals
A’s
Rays
At least they knew they weren’t going to be able to get Merrifield but could of tryed Danny Duffy to.
The Dominos haven’t started to fall intill we see like a Bundy or Clevenger or even Lindor or maybe Springer go to a team like Dodgers or Braves or so on.
Fellowship of the small market teams.
Padres have traded with the As more than any other team since 1969
Rosenthal has been one of the few good stories in 2020. I hope he has continued success where ever he ends up.
Wherever he ends up? I’m not expert, but I’m going to take a shot in the dark and say it’ll be the Padres…
If you like good stories, you should check out AJ Minter, and his bounce back season…
However, there is another lefty, former 1st round draft pick, and also former Independent League pitcher that is having a resurgent season in Atlanta, Tyler Matzek…His comeback has been remarkable this year, and have to give him a ton of credit for never giving up through all his injuries and his highs and lows. He was quoted as saying he was seriously considering retiring from the game, but it was his wife’s belief in him and her confidence that ultimately kept him going..
15IP, only 4BB to 21Ks, multiple appearances over 1 inning, .254 BAA, and for the traditionalists a 3.50 ERA…for Matzek
Aa for Minter, 11IP, 11K, 3BB, only 8H allowed, and he is carrying just a 0.82ERA
I remember watching Matzek pitch against my Padres during his rookie year. He looked REALLY good.
From what I read he had the same type of problems Zack Greinke and Khalil Greene had. Nice to see him push through it.
The Padres are probably an arm away from a serious playoff run. They have the offense. Minus the relief pitcher injuries, they could be playing right with LA.
Dodgers are a significantly better team but 2nd place is just as good as 1st this season.
Its going to be really hard to evaluate these trades with all of the PTBNLs because I can’t tell if Oliveras + ? is an overpay or not.
They definitely needed the bullpen help and want to win now, so its good from that perspective, I’m just hoping the PTBNL isn’t anyone of value because I like Oliveras for Rosenthal straight up, but would be weary of paying much more than that for a pure rental.
If you look at the Padres 60-man roster for this year, all of their top-10 prospects are on it. So are most of their other quality prospects. Considering that players drafted this year cannot be traded as a PTBNL anymore, there is only 1 name available that I would really regret losing. That is Ismail Mena.
Yep, the tools are sick! However I’m getting the vibe that it’ll be Reggie Lawson based on the normal standard operation of the Moore regime & love of pitching.
I don’t think Preller is going to trade his #1 international signing from last year for a one month (plus potential postseason) rental reliever.
Oliveras was our 20th best prospect. He plays all 3 outfield positions, has some power, likely a .280 hitter, has plus speed. He should be a solid 3rd/4th outfielder.
We need a reliever more. I feel like we did well
Over pay for Olivares hitting .176 I don’t think so
The trade deadline so far isn’t a great reflection on MLB GMs, guys like Taijuan Walker and Trevor Rosenthal who could have been had by anyone for next to nothing over the winter are fetching assets?
You have hindsight bias. If a contender have paid them the money and they did not bounce back it would have been a waste of a contract. Now they see a guy produce then give a team a small piece and get him anyway. To me that seems a lot smarter than buying a bunch of guys hoping for a bounce back.
Also, rebuilding teams are willing to pay more for these guys because they typically aren’t spending that much money on their current roster, and get a big benefit if they produce.
It is a win-win situation. I think this kind of stuff is a great reflection of GMs all around.
Jays getting Walker could not have started out better. 6 shut out innings.
Definitely agree with this, good post Steve!!
does the 2020 season not exist or something?
2020 in general doesn’t exist. This is all just some mythical creature’s bad dream.
The Royals bought low on Rosenthal. This isn’t like when people said Hosmer and Machado would be traded within a year after Preller signed them even though he was clearly buying high on both players.
Great trade for the Padres badly needed RP with a strong ERA
I don’t know, Rosenthal got shelled Wednesday, 3 runs, 2 bbs in an inning and a 3rd.
We’ll see how this goes.
Judging a small sample size season by an even smaller sample size. Big brain.
Great box score watcher see a contract coming your way from every mlb
Struck out 2 to end 8th nasty
Got his pitch count to high missed 3-4 strikes on the paint
Had pitched night before matheny tried to hand game to next in line for 1 out yadier molina
He couldnt get 1 out n eventually lost the game w 3 run lead
All pitchers get shelled once in a while. If their location is just a tad off and they’re not throwing strikes on the corners, watch out.
Stammen has that problem a lot.
What is the likelihood that St. Louis Cardinals makes it to the playoffs and faces the Padres?
No thank you… I don’t see this holding up long term
Well good thing its a rental and just has to hold up through October
That’s all it took?
Nobody is giving up anything of worth for players who will be gone in one month.
ThEy CaN eXtEnD hIm!
They could! But he’s a Boras client, so he’ll probably end up testing the market again this offseason.
Padres have announced the trade. Can someone please update the post?
https://twitter.com/Padres/status/1299814111463776256?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Not sure why the Royals need another outfielder
Because they need to stock up on as many young quality prospects as they can and sort out the positions later.
As a padre fan it sucks that this guy Olivares, a player the team seemed to have faith on, was so easy to brush aside, I see a tendency on that (Margot, Renfroe, Cordero, Franmil, to name a few), and while this team definitively needs pitching help, it also desperately needs a LF/CF (Grisham’s arm is better suited for LF IMO), which they might just have dealt, along with another piece.
Olivares was not going to help a playoff run this year, nor do I think he represented a long term option in the OF. This is a win-now move.
Olivares hasn’t had a hit all year
A lot of it has to do with the position Preller is in. He’s been given time and it hasn’t panned out yet (losing season after losing season). So, even if he has faith in Olivares long term, he needs to win now, so why keep a guy for a few years down the line when he (Preller) won’t be there in a few years if he doesn’t win now? Smart move for a guy on the hot seat, but not for e franchise as a whole.
Correct, everyone knew Preller was on the hot seat this season. He is doing what he can to win right now, and if he can do that by giving up marginal future assets, he isnt going to hesitate
Figured with how easily he breezed through the Bomba squad all year the twins would have some interest. Our bullpen continues to get crushed recently but the Twins will sit on their hands and watch as they fall into third place where they belong
There’s some precedent for a closer named Trevor having success in San Diego 🙂
wow, glad Phillies didnt go too hard on him. Oliveras alone is a solid piece to give up, let alone plus.
Sure he’s a great piece hitting .176 he’ll never make the Bigs, Olivares is a sixth OFer
Hey KC fans what gets the Braves Duffy ?
So far so good. Olivares was expendable and this NEEDS good relievers right now.
PSA: The PTBNL will 100% not be one of the recent draftees. The Trea Turner rule clearly stipulates that including players you just drafted as PTBNL’s before the season is over is no longer allowed.
Olivares beats out Cordero in the spring and now they trade him to probably take his spot on the Royals.
Cordero can’t move without breaking a bone
Solid pick up for the Friars. Wish E.O well in KC! Still would like to see them add a starter…
He has recently been shaky but he’s better than what they have.
He has not recently been shaky, he had one fluke outing where a couple runs scored that wouldn’t have been on at all but for a misplay on a fly ball by Hunter Dozier in RF. Rosey has been lights out all year.
A for both teams. Seems like a even trade. Nice player for royals, ptbnl is just a bonus. Padres are having a special year, gm needs playoffs, these are partable assets for a much needed piece. How many better relievers are available in a market where a dozen teams want these kinda guys?
Padres got the better of this deal as they run to the playoffs this year
Padres fans have any insight on the prospect? Looks like decent minor league numbers with both power and speed? Takes walks and strikes out?
Perhaps perdomo or Brett Kennedy
I think he meant Olivares… Toolsy, kinda like the right-handed version of Franchy but more raw at the plate and in the field. Faster than advertised, he could be a middle of the order guy if he adapts quickly. Feed him breaking balls to get him out.
So many people said he was washed up. He was still throwing high mid 90s last year and is 28 years old. Sneaky good signing by the Royals and they turned it into prospects. Where were ya on that one Klentak? I actually wrote his dumb a$$ a letter asking what the heck he was thinking going into the season with that bullpen. I’m sure it never made it to his desk but I just couldn’t believe they were going in with Tommy Hunter and Jose Alvarez as their primary set up guys. They literally did nothing to address the pen. They must have been counting on Drob to come back in August. Ooops. They’re hot right now though
Adding Hale and the Boston duo, Workman and Hembree, looks to have reshuffled their pen enough to make a huge difference moving forward…
Last year, after the Braves added their own 3 guys, it made a huge difference. Not just by adding the new guys, but it allowed Snit and Co. to better utilize the guys we already had in lower pressure situations. Ended up helping their entire pen tremendously, maybe it will be the same for the Phillies..So far so good..
All those who were wondering why Preller made this trade need only look at what happened tonight.
They need to bring Balsley back…
Balsey is working for the Padres in the minor leagues, but I am concerned about some pitchers who did better with Balsey last year.
Paddack for one is not having a good year and its concerning.
Balsey is working for the Padres in the minor leagues, but I am concerned about some pitchers who did better with Balsey last year.
Paddack for one is not having a good year and its concerning.
i mean, here we go again. rosenthal’s better than Timmy Hill. but what kind of idiot says that a 3.3 ERA is good for a reliever. that’s AVERAGE for a reliever. and this dude has a small sample size since being on the verge of playing independent league ball and we just traded one of our better prospects PLUS someone else for a guy who’s only successful against left handers and we have for 1 year. good ole AJ.. his moves are either fantastic or pretty bad.