Do the Padres have the ability to make a trade for Kyle Tucker of the Houston Astros?

The San Diego Padres have yet to make a major move this winter.

A.J. Preller and his staff are working every angle, as it appears the Padres are attempting to trim payroll. The Padres are not having a fire sale by any means, but they are becoming more conscious of their payroll commitments. They will need to be creative moving forward.

The Houston Astros are shopping Kyle Tucker.

In a surprising move, the Astros are listening to offers on one of the best left-handed hitters in the game. The Padres are surely interested in a deal as the team requires a left-fielder and a DH option for the coming season. San Diego would love to add Tucker, even though he is only under contract for one more season. Their window of competitiveness is open.

The Padres are surely interested, but can they meet the demand for Tucker?

Let’s explore the topic.

The asking price

The Houston Astros are built to win now. They are not giving Tucker away.

There is no real need to trade Kyle Tucker. For the Astros, it is painfully obvious that they will not be able to retain Tucker after the 2025 season. The pending free agent will likely make upward of $300 million on the open market. Houston allowed George Springer and Carlos Correa to walk away without trading them as they headed into free agency. The feeling is that the team would like to move Tucker now and get immediate results. But they do not have to trade their slugger.

Because Houston is a contending team, the asking price is not prospects. The team requires players who can help the Astros win now. They do not need lottery tickets; they want immediate value for their star outfielder. Expect the deal to be for two players with major league service time and a higher-tiered prospect. Tucker only has one year of control, so his price tag is not over the moon. But he is a difference-maker in the middle of a lineup. The Astros survived last year without Tucker as he succumbed to injury. In fact, Houston played their best ball as he was on the I.L. They may be convinced they can survive without him.

Do the Padres have what it takes? 

It will take some magical wand-waving by Preller for Houston and the Padres to make things work.

Right off the bat, Houston would ask about Jackson Merrill. That would be outrageous to the Padres, and rightfully so. The talks then would progress to Jake Cronenworth. Not the most appealing player, but perhaps Houston is enamored with his defensive flexibility. His contract is starting to turn into a good deal as Cronenworth is due around $72.7 million for the next six years. The two-time all-star improved his numbers last season and could be on an offensive upswing. Remember, the Astros may be losing Alex Bregman this winter.

Beyond Cronenworth, there are a few position players like Eguy Rosario or Tirso Ornelas who make some sense. But neither is a sure thing. The Padres have Luis Campusano, but the Astros don’t need a catcher. The Padres have some young pitchers, but Houston does not exactly need arms right now. Matt Waldron, Jhony Brito, and Randy Vasquez all have major league service time, but they are all question marks moving forward. Adrian Morejon makes sense as he is capable of big things, but it would take an interest from Houston. San Diego does have some prospects on the rise, but the Astros focus would not be on players who are years away from service time.

The verdict

Although the Padres have serious interest, the two sides just do not match up really well. Not an impossible task, but the Astros and their evaluation of talent is the key. Right now, the asking price for Tucker is through the roof. It will come down in time as teams balk at the asking price of a one-year rental,

Jake Cronenworth makes some sense, but the Astros would probably want someone younger with an unknown upside. Maybe the Astros are in love with Matt Waldron and his knuckleball. Or perhaps they are enamored with Morejon’s upside. It would take something like this for the Padres to get a deal done. The Padres are willing to move players, but their current trade chips are mid-tiered prospects and pitchers who are major league-ready but young.

In the end, Houston may just do what they’ve done in the past. They may hold onto their star as nobody meets their asking price. Kyle Tucker is a special talent, and for a competitive team to trade him, they must get a return that satisfies the fan base. The Padres would love to “rent” him for the 2025 season, but the ball is clearly in the Astros court.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.