Decision Looms for Padres Regarding Future of Freddy Galvis

Early in the season, an East Village Times article discussed how Freddy Galvis was not only an asset to the team defensively, but was also swinging the bat quite nicely–a pleasant surprise.

Fast forward to nearly two months into the season and his numbers have regressed to about where it was expected he would hit. While his hot start was certainly fun to watch, his defense has provided much needed stability at the position and is the definitive reason as to why A.J. Preller traded for him during the offseason.

As the season enters June, a decision looms as to what the Padres are going to do with Galvis. There is a slim, but unlikely, chance the Padres shop Galvis to a team needy for a shortstop. Given the relative lack of MLB ready depth at the position however, it is more probable they retain him throughout the year as originally planned.

However, if Galvis maintains a semblance of consistency offensively and continues to flash the leather like he has all year, the Padres would be foolish to not listen to offers. Moreover, contending teams are more likely to overpay for a player out of desperation, which is a clear advantage to shopping him just to see what type of traction he garnishes. If the right deal comes along, the Padres should not waiver.

As previously alluded to, the depth of the Padres at shortstop is fairly limited at the Major League level. Behind Galvis, the only true shortstop on the 40-man roster is Javier Guerra–a once highly touted prospect who has significantly fallen off over the last couple years. His defense is still top prospect material, but his offensive production has been incredibly disappointing thus far in Triple-A El Paso.

The only other options to fill that spot if Galvis were to be traded are Cory Spangenberg, Jose Pirela possibly, and worst case scenario, Christian Villanueva. All three of those guys at shortstop would become an immediate liability defensively which makes a trade of Galvis doubtful. Extending him beyond 2018 is a whole different conversation.

When 2019 rolls around, the Padres will be another year closer to showcasing what Fernando Tatis Jr. has to offer. There is even a slim chance the Padres give him a taste of Petco Park at the end of this year. With this in mind, the Padres will have to assess their game plan moving forward. Given the abundance of young talent in the Padres’ system at shortstop, it is difficult to rationalize retaining Galvis for another year for anything more than a bench role. It would be more beneficial for the future of the team to have Tatis Jr. begin as the starter pending any injuries or setbacks.

For those who abide by the philosophy that he is too young, Carlos Correa and Ozzie Albies both began their careers in the majors at the age of 20 and things have panned out quite nicely for them thus far. It would not hurt to give Tatis Jr. the same treatment. It is long overdue for the Padres to make a bold move and the time is now and the fans are ready. Not to mention, the Padres have an abundance of young middle infielders behind Tatis Jr. should he not pan out or outgrow the position as some speculate he may do.

A couple of those youngsters that come to mind include Gabriel Arias and Esteury Ruiz, who are knocking on the door. Furthermore, as reported by James Clark of the East Village Times, the Padres recruiting department has placed an emphasis on discovering young talent like Tatis Jr. and Ruiz before other teams realize their value. As a result, the Padres may be poised to continue building up their middle infield–all the more reason to get Tatis Jr. going within the next year and a half.

While not financially friendly, the Padres could retain Galvis on a team-friendly, one year contract that gives the Padres cushion going into 2019. It provides them with an option should Tatis Jr. not be ready or if the team is not ready for him to start. If Tatis Jr continues to showcase the talent that has put him so far up on national prospect list, this decision is much easier–similar to how Franmil Reyes made his presence known and forced the issue.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the youth of this organization is making some serious noise. It may be time to let them take over the reigns and see what happens. It worked out well for the Astros and is working out well so far for the Braves. The depth of the organization is its obvious strength and it is time to start showing it off. The team can start this process by letting Galvis walk and moving forward with Tatis Jr. & Co.

Tanner Wrape

Hey everyone! My name is Tanner Wrape and I am a proud alumni of the University of California Riverside. I received my Bachelors Degree in Psychology with a Minor in Political Science. I am now living in Washington, D.C. getting my Masters Degree in Forensic Psychology at George Washington University. Currently, I am interning at the George Washington Program on Extremism which is a think-tank dedicated to better understanding terrorism, extremist ideologies and radicalization.

While my work deals with some heavy topics, sports have always been a great way to wind down and relax. I have been a fan of the Padres since I was a little kid and I played baseball up through high school. Hit me up on Twitter if you ever want to chat about anything.