Despite being deadline buyers, the Padres are hearing teams out on Dylan Cease. He’s an impending free agent who could theoretically allow them to acquire young talent they could flip for a more controllable starting pitcher or help elsewhere on the roster.
There’d be a similar logic for San Diego in entertaining offers on All-Star closer Robert Suarez. The 34-year-old righty is expected to opt out of the remaining two years and $16MM on his contract. He’s playing on a $10MM salary this year, around $3.2MM of which will be owed from the deadline through the end of the season. While that’s a bargain rate for a very good reliever, it’s not an insignificant amount for a team that had very little short-term payroll room all offseason.
San Diego reportedly fielded interest in Suarez throughout the offseason. They obviously didn’t find an offer to their liking. That was also the case for Cease but hasn’t stopped them from taking calls this summer. ESPN’s Jeff Passan suggested on Wednesday that the Padres could make Suarez available as well.
The Padres have a trio of high-end setup options in Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam and Adrian Morejon. Rookie right-hander David Morgan has a 2.25 ERA while striking out a quarter of opponents in his first 24 big league innings. Morgan doesn’t have any high-leverage experience, but he regularly hits 98 MPH with his fastball and has a plus curveball. He certainly has late-inning caliber stuff. If they were to trade Suarez, the Padres could give Morgan some more meaningful assignments while using Estrada or Adam in the ninth inning.
A trade would only make sense if the Padres get big league talent in return (either directly or by flipping some of the prospects to a third team). They need to add a left fielder and could be in the catching market. The rotation depth is questionable, especially with Yu Darvish struggling in his first four starts off the injured list. Their farm system isn’t strong beyond their top two prospects, Leo De Vries and Ethan Salas, whom they’re unlikely to move. Trading off the big league roster in some capacity seems likely — even though the conventional play would be to deal rookies like Morgan or starter Ryan Bergert for more established veterans.
Suarez leads MLB with 29 saves. He tallied 36 saves last season and carries a 3.46 ERA across 41 2/3 innings. Almost all of the damage has been confined to a pair of five-run disasters. Outside of those two appearances, he has allowed seven combined runs. 36 of his 44 appearances have been scoreless. Suarez has fanned nearly 27% of batters faced against a 7.3% walk rate. His opt-out clause could give some teams pause — the remaining $16MM in guarantees are pure downside for an acquiring club if he gets injured late in the season — but he’s affordable and effective enough that the Padres should find plenty of interest if they seriously considered making him available.
Did the Padres trade a bunch of their soon to be free agents last year or did they trade prospects?
Thats what they will do this year. I dont understand why people think the Padres will trade win now players.
What FA are you talking about? Kim who was hurt and wasn’t going to get anything in return? Higgy their only catcher? Or Profar who was a steal at $1M?
I dont think you are understanding what I was saying. They didnt trade soon to be free agents they traded FOR soon to be free agents.
Two things. If you are suggesting they can fix all of their holes by tapping into one of the worst farm systems in baseball, better think that through again. The 22 and the 23 drafts have already been sent on their way. The 24 draft has nobody near performing in High A ball. It is weak. But I expect Preller will strip mine that draft too. He has to. The other thing is that they are budget bound. That is why they went cheap on Heyward, Gurriel, Maldonado, Diaz, Sheets, Joe, etc. To bring on new players and stay within their budget, players with larger salaries will be shipped out for less expensive or replaced in house with less expensive. Suarez, Cease and Arraez fit right in that slot.
Suarez, Cease and Arraez will not be brought back but they aren’t getting traded away now. Thats silly thats what a non contending team would do and the Padres are still a contender. At least for now.
I understand they have budget restraints. I like their draft in 2024 lot of upside. I think they will use that to get help in 2025.
I see them trading cease and Suarez but not arraez
Contender for what? A WC wow. Padres have no chance at WS
Preller likes shuffling the deck up make it seem like he’s actually doing something and distract from the gaping holes in the roster, it’s a form of job security. See also Jerry DiPoto.
Dan- look at what Naylor brought back. Two 40/45fv prospects. He was one of the top 2-3 bats available.
Padres have 6 prospects with a 50fv or greater.
Another 10 prospects with a 45fv.
That’s 16 prospects with a 45fv or greater. 10 which are pitchers. The one position every team needs. That’s not counting any of the 40fv guys which are plenty of.
Padres need two bats. Neither which needs to be a star. Those two bats can play any position or no position at all.
Sheets is serviceable in left though they would likely like to replace him and make him the DH.
They would like to upgrade catcher but can get away with a bench bat instead. As they will pinch hit for them late in games. So that limits one at bat a game from their poor hitting catchers.
Perhaps they may look to add another pen arm or a starter but neither is a pressing concern.
What the padres need is for Darvish to figure it out and king to return. Along with their stars to hit like stars. If those things don’t happen then it doesn’t matter who they get.
So the farm system is more than capable of filling the holes. Preller though likes to shoot for the moon and acquire a star. Those cost a ton of prospects and then make it a real challenge. If he goes with guys like laureano it won’t cost much at all. If he wants to go big then it will require trading one of the top two prospects or moving current players like cease and or Suarez to get more prospects to do so.
Well said Simmster
Padres mid to low level prospects might have more value than Suarez in a trade, especially given the opt outs in his contract. The Pads aren’t sellers (yet) and trade partners for Suarez will only be contenders and contenders aren’t likely to part with anything but prospects which don’t help the Padres this year. Non-contenders who are more willing to part with players that can help the Padres roster now will have zero interest in Suarez. They will covet pieces from the farm.
@pad4L: as we all know in baseball, if you get to the playoffs as a wildcard you have no chance. Like the old adage says: “only the favorites ever win in the MLB playoffs”
But remember. They will need to move money to take on more unless they get the other team to take back $. And that costs more prospects. And then at the end of the day these guys walk for nothing. Arraez and Suarez can be replaced in house. I’d argue Cease can be too. What I saw yesterday tells me Darvish is not going to help much. King? Who knows. Moving expiring contracts for prospects to flip or vets that cost less makes sense.
Cease is gone any minute. Suarez, it will take a decent package. Arraez, i dont see him being moved.
No chance, come on now
Yes. Expiring contracts to contenders. Prospects to non-contenders. And then buy from anyone that fills needs.
If they don’t move Arraez it will be due to the fact that no one wants him. Which is a real possibility. Even if they could use him, the return would be very small.
@DanFan. If Yu can’t cut it, and King doesn’t come back, then one could either argue that if they still want to compete for playoffs it would be insane to trade Cease, OR, that the playoffs aren’t realistic and it’s time to sell on Cease, Arraez, Suarez and maybe King.
In that case you might try to push Suarez and Arraez (Cronenworth? But hard to trade contract) to clear space to buy a pitcher and some bats.
If YU sucks and King is done for then the season is over anyways.
I don’t see a fit for Arraez or cronenworth now that the Yankees don’t need either.
Absolutely.
Yes, depending on the return, of course. Morejon could become the closer.
Preller going to make moves like his job is on the line
It should be.
Dawg we have signed Machado, Merrill, and Tatis long term. Stop acting like the sky is falling. In preller we trust
lol
0, at least the Padres are trying
Preiler would be a good fantasy player…
Suarez can be replaced by Estrada ,morejon or Adam back end .
Saurez for saurez Eugenio az and I’ll throw in a YU…
Yes and package Cease and Suarez together
You’ll find plenty of suitors. A package deal will probably contain 1 back end top 100 prospect and a couple guys 6-30 somewhere in the farm.
Yankees
Schlitter, Lagrange, Jones, Selvidge and Padres take back Stroman hoping for a Sonny Gray type scenario where leaving the big apple yields better results
Cubs
Jaxon Wiggins, Jonathan Long, Brandon Birdsell, Christian Franklin
Mets
Sproadt, Clifford, Tidwell, Gilbert, Nunez
Phillies
Abel, Chase, Rincones Jr, Keaton Anthony,
Mariners
Michael Arroyo, Brock Rodden, Juan Burgos, Marcelo Perez
Blue Jays
Nathan Lukes, Kendry Rojas, Charles McAdoo, Ryan Jennings
If you mean Spencer Jones, Yankees would never give up that package for Cease and a reliever. Lmfao
Well thanks for that insider information. I’m sure you’re gig as mens facilities sanitation expert yields plenty of behind the scenes insider takes. Please continue to provide us with rumor mill gossip you overhear while restoring property drainage to porcelain thrones onlinefeatures.
@Easy as 1 2 3
Relievers are so hit and miss each year. Next year, Suarez could be terrible and now you’re stuck with a DFA candidate. Just look at Devin Williams.
Schlittler and lagrange are both top 100 on MLB pipeline. Jones has by far the highest wrc and OPS in the minor leagues, and i think prospect evaluators are too low on him at this point because of the K’s. Anyway, you’re not getting 3 top 100 prospects
I think he was just listing prospects not that all of them would be in a deal.
Though that’s just a guess
Yup listening prospects id think padres would have interest in to varying degrees.
For a combo package of cease and king you’re starting with 1 back end top 100 prospect and 1 top 6-10. 1 1-20, possibly 1 21-30 depending on others
Jones isn’t a top 100 prospect Schlitter and Lagrange are both in the 90s. Both in 90s close to mlb readiness doesn’t leave much room for climbing up prospect ranks. But sure keep em and Stroman and let em join you sitting at home watching the World Series lmao
Discounting Jones while he has the numbers he has in AAA is asinine. Top 100 list or not. Lagrange is not close to MLB ready and was sitting 98 topping over 100 yesterday in an excellent start against arguably the best AA lineup (tigers) in baseball. He has 40 innings in AA. Schlittler is in the majors out of necessity, it’s him or allen winans while trying to catch toronto for 1st. Nobody is taking stroman as his prorated salary is still under water, he’s smoke and mirrors at this point and he no longer has a shot at triggering his innings based 18 mil option for next season, it’s best case scenario for the Yankees. But sure keep making yourself “lmao”
Yankees fans hear of a star player being made available for trade and think “surely our disgruntled 34-year-old sixth starter on a bad contract will do the trick!!!”
That goof can’t be a yankee fan he doesn’t know sht about the prospects. He also thinks stroman has any positive value. Stroman has the same value that carlos carrasco had except at 18 mil not 1
It’s possible the Padres could move Suarez and or Cease. Though I only see it if they are trying to acquire prospects/players to flip for a star like player (Kwan/Duran) or Alcantara (former star).
Those moves would be about this year and the next couple of years since they are controlled.
If they decide to just upgrade with rentals they can do so without trading either. The Naylor trade showed the cost of rentals really isn’t all that much.
It’s hard to trade for controlled talent so most likely the rumors on Duran/kwan types are just that.
Teams should always be listening to any offer for any of their players.
Hearing preller is listening is part of for the course. We heard all these same names mentioned the entire offseason and he traded none of them.
My guess is this will be more of the same. He is likely testing to see if anyone is desperate to offer a package he can’t refuse.
I am all about getting money off the books. Yankees need a SP, RP and either a 2B or 3B. I propose.
Yanks get
Cease
Suarez
Crone
Pads get
Spencer Jones
Brock Selvidge
Yanks move Chisholm back to 3B and Crone to 2B.
In another move.
Pirates get
Omar Cruz
Tirso- If you’re not going to give him a shot, trade him to somebody who will. They have an opening in LF next season.
Victor Lizarrga
Pads get
Andrew Heaney
Isaiah Kiner-Falefe
Last move
ATL get
Jagger Haynes
Campy
Kavares Tears
Pads get
Sean Murphy
Do it.