The Dodgers may not have a key player available for today’s Game 6 against the Braves, as Chris Taylor suffered an ankle injury in last night’s game. Taylor suffered the injury while chasing down a Freddie Freeman double in the eighth inning of Game 5, and Taylor managed to finish the inning before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the ninth. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Taylor would undergo tests to determine the severity of the problem.
It hasn’t been a great postseason for Taylor, who has hit only .161/.257/.226 over 35 plate appearances during Los Angeles’ playoff run. Still, Taylor’s regular-season performance and his versatility (he has been used as a second baseman and left fielder this October) make him a valuable roster asset, and it’s not like Taylor hasn’t had success in the playoffs — he was the 2017 NLCS MVP. If Taylor can’t play in Game 6, the Dodgers could turn to Max Muncy or Enrique Hernandez to play second base. The Dodgers would also be reduced to a three-man bench, as they used 15 of their 28 roster spots for the NLCS on pitchers. [UPDATE: Taylor isn’t in the Game 6 lineup, but Roberts told Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times and other reporters that Taylor is available off the bench and is “moving around much better today. It’s better than he expected.”]
More from around the NL West…
- Several Padres-related topics are addressed by The Athletic’s Dennis Lin as part of a reader mailbag piece, with a particular focus on San Diego’s offseason plans. Lin doesn’t think the Padres will make a play for Trevor Bauer this winter, and re-signing Jurickson Profar could be difficult since his asking price may be beyond the Friars’ comfort zone. “The team isn’t interested in paying handsomely for a secondary option,” Lin writes, though Profar ended up being essentially an everyday player in 2020.
- Of course, more regular playing time could emerge for a player like Profar if the Padres were to trade Wil Myers. Lin figures San Diego will again look into trades for Myers, whose once-negligible trade value has been boosted by an outstanding 2020 season (.288/.353/.606 with 15 homers in 218 PA). The $41MM that Myers is owed through the 2022 season may still make a trade hard to complete, though naturally the Padres wouldn’t mind keeping Myers if he keeps producing as he did this year. At the outskirts of the Padres’ roster, Lin thinks Francisco Mejia, Joey Lucchesi and Trey Wingenter could also be trade candidates.
- In a Giants mailbag, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle believes shortstop Marco Luciano is the Giants’ only truly “untouchable” prospect in trade talks. This doesn’t mean that other highly-touted youngsters like Joey Bart or Heliot Ramos are anywhere near being available, but rather that San Francisco perceives Luciano as “the main driver for a winning era.” Luciano emerged as a favorite of top-100 prospect lists (ranked 14th by Fangraphs, 17th by Baseball America, 29th by MLB.com) after a big breakout in last year’s Arizona Fall League, though the 19-year-old has only one official year of pro ball under his belt. It remains to be seen if he’ll stay at shortstop or move to third base or the outfield in the future, but the 19-year-old Luciano’s batting potential has already drawn raves.
Padres aren’t trading Myers. They’ll be lucky to get a pair of lotto tickets for him and they’ll still have to assume some salary to do that. He’s way more valuable playing every day in both production and return on investment
I see the Padres trading Myers. They’ll get out of paying him most if not all of his salary by attaching as many rule 5 eligible guys as possible. They can’t keep everyone. Boston(1b), Nationals (1b), Rangers (1b) I can see as trade partners whod like to acquire some prospects just by taking on a 2 year 40 mill contract while they are rebuilding.
I see the signing either Jackie Bradley Jr or Joc Pederson to short deals and a RH platoon partner to replace them against lefties. They may lose a little offense but they get availability and defense.
No body wants your crappy fringe roster guys to save you from overpaying a player. Saying it over and over doesn’t make it more likely
No one is paying value for rule 5 guys. And ESPECIALLY not also for the luxury of paying Myers for multiple years.
Still can’t figure out why no team has offered you a front office job yet.
Guess they prefer accumulating assets and rebuilding depleted farms during bad years by taking on short term contract obligations that don’t hurt their long term financial outlook.
Funny, I didn’t say fringe prospects. I said rule 5 eligible guys. They can’t keep everyone.
rule 5 eligible =/= fringe prospects. They may overlap but they’re not synonymous.
Logic and reading comprehension don’t seem to be your strong suits. Work on that. Maybe you’ll get that gm job.
Enlighten me. What rule V guys do you want to ship out with Myers that you think makes him actually worth his contract?
Myers would get max 10m a year on the FA market. This year, maybe less
Keep insulting me. You’re the one trying to roll 2 problems into one trade then get upset you get called out for it. NO ONE wants Myers for 20M for 2 years. Even you. Lol
“They’ll get out of paying him most if not all of his salary ”
Didn’t we we just talk about reading comprehension? Are you unsure what “most” means?
To your second question.
Padres still have a top 5 farm in the league, even after the trades, Red Sox are bottom of the barrel. When youre farm is that bad and you’re rebuilding, not contending, spending 30-40 mill to buy prospects gives you more chances to unearth a gem.
To take all the contract? Marcano (ranked #13th), Ornelas (ranked #17), Ruiz (ranked #19), Bachar ranked (#23), Rosario (ranked #28), and Barley (ranked #29) plus Lucchessi, Wingenter, Avila. could all be up for grabs depending on money involved.
Myers max give me a break he had nice 60 game season wow. Hit .100 when it counted against Dodgers no paying him in this market he’s also weak fielder. Lin been saying this for years the next interesting comment he makes will be his first
One good 60 game stretch doesn’t mean a thing unless it helps to get rid of Myers.
The Red Sox only used SD and Myers to get a better return from LA in the Betts deal. They were going to get under the CBT no matter what it took and Myers had the reverse affect as he would have added to payroll.
The Red Sox have Dalbec, Casas, and possibly Devers to play 1B (his 3B defense was terrible in 2020). They would sooner sign Osuna than trade for Myers unless SD included at least 2 mlb ready starting pitchers and paid part of Myers salary.
Yep. And I get he had a real nice 60 game season. But he’s been just ok to above average for most of his time in SD. I just can’t see anyone bypassing the last 4-5 years because of 60 games, and taking on a 20M/ year, multi year commitment
If you add Enough money, you can move anyone sure. But that’s not the same as rule V guys you don’t want to 40 man lol
Padres best hope is he repeats this in 2021 imho. Then they can laugh at everyone for not wanting him for next to free and maybe get something next offseason with one year left
Red Sox need all the prospects they can get as that farm is baron and hasn’t produced much the past few seasons. Same with the Nationals.
Far as what the Padres could offer as compensation to take Myers contract.
Lucchessi, Wingenter, Bachar, and Avila are all MLB ready pitchers. Lucchessi is for sure a change of scenery candidate.
You also have 2b prospect Esteury Ruiz, Eguy Rosario, and Jordan Barley.
The Red Sox are essentially buying lottery tickets and hoping guys figure it out.
Worst case is they stick Myers at 1st for 2 years while they’re not competitive, and walk away with controllable assets for the next 4+ years, if even 1 pans out long term for the Red Sox they got the better end of the deal long term.
Red Sox are at 133 mill for 2021. Nowhere near close to the tax line. Acquiring Myers, the players, prospects. and say 10 mill puts them at 150 mill or so. Leaves them about 30 mill to sigh guys to 1 year deals hoping to flip them for more prospects.
Theyre not going to go out, spend and be competitive against Yankees and Rays. 2 years worth of drafting, IFAs, and trades acquiring assets is what Red Sox should be doing.
The Red Sox DO NOT NEED A FIRSTBASEMAN. There is no way they trade for an average player that makes $40 million. Bloom has added 8 top 20 prospects in the last year and there is no way he is trading them for a crappy player like Myers.
Ben Cherington might have made a trade for Myers, Bloom would not…..look at his track record.
Where did I say what the Red Sox would trade the Padres? Please show me exactly where I said what the Padres would get in return.
Nice job getting upset at something I never said.
I’ve said nothing regarding g what the Padres would receive.
I’ve stipulated what it could cost the Padres to unload the contract.
There’s zero reason for Boston to want Myers. They aren’t competing in the next 2 years and aren’t spending big money. Even if they aren’t giving up top prospects going back
further, they aren’t looking for rule V guys. You just said they are trying to build the farm. So you want them to take Padre 40 man fodder, and clog their own 40 man, with at best change of scenery guys? All to pay Myers 40M for the next 2 years?
Nats need a lot more than Wil Myers to compete. It’d be… a questionable distribution of assets. He’s no Harper or Rendon
You can name teams. But that doesn’t mean they actually make sense as destinations
Cmon, you want Myers as little as everyone else marvel and you know how little value he really has
Marvel sees em trading Myers bc he’s been playing too much 2020 the show
Expensive platoon players? Why would the Padres want to do that?
Myers has hit .253 /.330/.461/.791 with 110 HR in 5.37 seasons as a Padre. That is worth what he is getting paid even at $20 million per season. Just a handful of other players that have hit 110 HR and stolen 84 bases like he has for the Padres. His tenure as a Padre includes 2 seasons of nearly 30/30 play in 2016-2017. That is not including 2020 where he was on pace for 40 HR.
I don’t believe that its a coincidence that Myers’ best seasons as a Padre were in the seasons when he predominantly played one position all year. 2016 – (147 starts at 1B and a handful in RF), 2017 – (153 starts at 1B) and 2020 where he started every game he played in RF.
If you think that line+ crap defense is worth 20M, Tatis is worth 50M a year
There’s a reason NO ONE has wanted him for the better part of the 3+ years of the Padres have been trying to move him
Castellanos got 16M a year and had better numbers in 5 prior years 817 Ops vs 791. And that was pre covid, and everyone agrees Castellanos would be seen as a fool to opt out of that deal. Why is myers worth 4M more, when money is tighter than ever? Plus teams are giving up some assets to get him? No one is paying him 20M, clearing your 40 man clog AND paying you for the opportunity. you both are out of your minds
A 113 OPS+ Over the past 5 years with horrible defense at 3 spots is worth 20 M for multiple years in this market?
Plus a team clears your Rule V problem of too many bench players. Then also trades something of value back?
That’s one plan I guess
The Padres have nobody else to take over RF if they trade Will Myers. Thus they will not be trading him.
That rumor was just to get people talking. Looks like it worked.
Myers provided above average defense in RF this season and that line is definitely worth that kind of money. How many guys that are available to play RF are better?
Castellanos is the worst defensive OF in baseball. Not one of, dead last in 2020. In 2019 only one player that is still playing RF was worse. This season he provided a negative WAR. Castellanos had 9 SB over that 2015-2020 time period and managed only 13 more HR than Myers in 800 more PA.
One dimensional players like Castellanos do not get paid what well rounded players do.
Money is no tighter for MLB teams in 2021 than it was in 2019. Revenue for MLB is going UP $71 million PER TEAM in 2021 because of new national TV contracts with TBS, Fox, and ESPN. Crying poor is not possible for teams and you should not be trying to either.
Myers will stay a Padre because he played extremely well in 2020 and there is no one available for $20 million that is better.
We are laughing at you. When you get the simple stuff wrong its easy to do that.
Myers provided above average defense in RF this season. He has always provided above average defense in RF every season he played there. And he was above average at 1B for his career.
Expensive? Peferson gets 7 , maybe. Pillar gets 3. 10 mill total. Saves Padres 10 mill.
Id hardly call Pederson and Pillar expensive platoon options.
Saves the Padres 10 mill in 2021 and 2022.
When the White Sox non tender Mazara I can see the Padres signing him to replace Myers, if he is traded. You know Preller loves his ex rangers players.
If Mejia is available the Yankees need to call and make a deal to replace Sanchez.
That is an awful idea
I still think the Yankees are gonna kick the tires on JTR
i mean Mejia probably wolnt be expensive. they could get both.
Would love for the Padres to be able to get something of value for him, but Meijia is not really a “replace Sanchez” kind of player.
There are reasons he was 4th on SD’s depth chart at the end of the year, mostly that he struggles on defense and he has no plate discipline which leads to a lot of bad/wasted ABs. He showed flashes of something more at the end of 2019 but looked pretty lost this year, he’s definitely a project
What most yank fans miss is how bad of a catcher Sanchez is. He should be a DH not a catcher. He can’t call good games and very slow behind the plate. Yanks need to cut their loses and get a good catcher behind the plate.
What are you upgrading with Mejia? Salary saved, because he’s just as big of a defensive liability without the pop. Mejia is a guy who just need to play, with a team that can allow him to struggle.
He is available and I am sure the Padres would be happy to make a deal. Not sure what they will get for a bat only catcher that hit .077 in 16 games this season before the Padres demoted him.
Profar has a lot of nerve if he thinks a good short season should guarantee him a big contract
Big contract, 2 years and 8 million. He started terrible, yet really turned it around and looked solid. I would be interested in him in 2021.
He’s had more success of late than that, I’ll argue 2 years $16M would be closer to what he accepts and with his flexibility in the field that’s well worth keeping him. Even great relief pitchers are worth more than 5M a year.. Past three years the rough math is he hit .260/.330/.430 with 20-25HR a year.. I mean I’d at least pay $6-8M for a proven everyday player to fill in between the all stars. He’s really rebounded his career happy for him whether he stays a pad or goes.
Profar 2 yrs $9M tops that’s it he’s a good utility guy.
Are we sure Taylor isn’t hurt from that VICIOUS hit to the hand he took yesterday?!
That did more damage to Webb than it did to Taylor. Really rattled him, for what?
Lmmfao @joshmorris
If you add Mejia some cash for Myers contract so the Brewers can sign Profar for third. You know we could maybe give you Garcia in the trade then we could put Urias at second, move Huria to first. Profar at third.
Profar will get some looks from several teams
Mejia yea he’s valuable lol
Maybe, the Padres should move Myers to 1st and make Hosmer the DH, if it is permanent.
I would bring Profar back on a 1 year deal.
Campusano is here, Mejia is going to get traded. Mejia has serious potential at the plate.
I’d move Eric Hosmer to DH, Jake Cronenworth to 1B, and give 2B to CJ Abrams.
Stop Myers the misfit in field at 1B
Clearly Profar never lived (not close) up to projections. That said, he performed well and even by end of year better than the regular LF (Pham) to the point that Profar was the better option. The short season wasn’t the players fault so don’t blame him for wanting to be paid based on performance – most posts are in favor of paying for performance? I hope Padres don’t over pay for him for sure but don’t blame him for asking. If he is affordable then he might be a good option. I so hate to agree but Joc is really looking like a favorable Padre option right now. Taking on a Dodger cast off will draw the dodger fans out for sure. It haven’t been the best of track records for ex Dodger outfielders either.
At one time, Profar was the #1 prospect in all of baseball. He will probably never live up to that hype again, but if he can build on this last season, he will wind up being a very useful piece somewhere.
Lucianos ceiling is incredible. If he reaches it, the Giants are in good shape. I wouldn’t be opposed to trading one of Bart/Bailey for a young pitching prospect (kind’ve like the O’Neil for Gonzales trade a couple years back) Giants desperately need a young starter.
You wouldn’t want to give up Bart or Bailey, maybe bishop or something but definitely would want to see both catchers perform a bit. Either one of those catchers could be a belt replacement imo
Yeah I would say an outfielder should be more available, having Bart and Bailey gives you 2 shots at finding the follow up to posey, hopefully he can work closely with Bart this year to get him more on track.
Jurickson would look good in a Halos uniform. Fletch goes to short, Jurickson to second. If Rengifo or Barreto play well then move Jurickson to LF. Uptons playing time will likely decrease with the way he’s been playing. Adell might even get some minor league time if he continues the struggle and if Marsh isn’t “ready.” Signing Jurickson, with his versatility would seal the deal offensively (minus a catcher) and then we can direct all all focus to pitching, which is the biggest issue on this team.
Profar had a nice stretch for Texas (granted it was right before he departed), and it looks like he had another stretch with San Diego. He needs to get comfortable in one place for his ability to show, and he did that this season. He looks happy there, seeming to always have a smile, and he plays well. I hope they re-sign him because he looks awfully comfortable there.
Quick correction RE: Marco Luciano–he didn’t play in the Arizona Fall League in 2019, it was the Rookie-level Arizona League (AZL).
Apologies in advance if this is incorrect, but I’m fairly sure it isn’t.
At first I thought you were wrong, I looked it up. You are correct. I’ve heard about him for so long; I thought he did. To think, he is only 19.
Bart was the one who was tearing up the AFL before getting hit in the hand again.
With Profar stabilizing his career over the previous 3 seasons, plus youth still being somewhat on his side (27) especially for a free agent & average to slightly above average offense the last 3 seasons mixed in with his defensive versatility, I wonder what Profar’s market really is?
I think depending on the team & terms, he might be able to score something somewhat surprising.
Even if he landed a 5 season deal hypothetically, he’d still only be 31 at the beginning of that final year.
I wouldn’t shocked if he signed a multi year pact for something in the low to mid $30’s.
Myers stinks in clutch and weak fielder
Huh? lol
Cygnus, that was pretty much my thought when I posted. Whether he gets 3, 4 or 5, some time will very likely make such an offer. I’d like him as an owner at 2 for 10 ish but, I think that is wishful thinking as opposed to the folks that think he is getting paid based on years 1-4 of his career. Just to counter the trade Myers folks, if the value is so low (to team taking him) that he isn’t worth taking on unless Pads pay down salary and add prospects then why wouldn’t Padres just keep him and prospects considering his 2020 production and they are paying him anyway. Pay him and see what you get before you pay most of salary and add prospects to get rid of him!! It isnt like there is someone there with his 2020 numbers waiting for the playing time. Give him at least the benefit of his recent production as a possible indictator of 2021. Should be happy to get 85% of that from RF. His 2020 numbers, even if they fell off some, are worth 20.5 million.
What most people dont understand is that the Padres signed Wil to his extension to be just the type of player he was this last year. Yes, it was in a shortened 60 game season, but what more could you ask of him? He was comfortable for the first time as a Padre and didnt feel the pressure of having to be the GUY in the lineup. He mainly batted in the 6 spot where he produced at an All Star level. If you trade him now that would not only be a huge hit to the Padres lineup, but youre also telling fans that saving money is more important than fielding the best possible lineup. The Clevinger trade sapped all the depth they had in the outfield so there isnt even a viable replacement in RF. Hes not getting traded.
There is no trade he’s a stiff in clutch also take out Cardinals series which was a joke he’s .100 postseason hitter
What more how about hitting better than .100 against Dodgers Myers isn’t clutch player
Really Lin did you think that all up on your lonesome. Let’s see owners aren’t deep pockets lost 100 mil this year and owe Machado, Hosmer, and Myers 70 mil thanks to hipster Preller
AJ rolled the dice and almost made it BIG, two key IL’s stopped the train, we do need two more SP’s for sure and a RH hitting OFer. Along with a good utility IF er just in case Manny or Tatis goes down for some time.
Almost made it big now stuck with bloated contacts genius traded hundred players only to get waxed by Dodgers. Beat lame .500 Cardinals at home omg! Let’s get wild card gear