Padres and Red Sox Discuss Craig Stammen & Kirby Yates
Credit: AP Photo
The New York Yankees have checked in on both Kirby Yates and Craig Stammen. Do the Padres and Yankees match in a potential deal?
Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported on MLB Tonight that the Red Sox have interest in both Kirby Yates and Craig Stammen.
Could another trade be in the works for the San Diego Padres? Just what do the Boston Red Sox have to give for those two relievers?
The Boston Red Sox currently have the second best relief pitching for runs against in the American League at 3.69 per game.
Their bullpen has been anything but a weak area for them this year, yet in this day of baseball and with other American League contenders, like the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians, making moves of their own to acquire bullpen help, no team can have enough relief pitching especially come play-off time. Enter the San Diego Padres.
The Padres have a knack for turning afterthoughts into pivotal relief pieces.
Brad Hand was one of the most sought out relievers in the game, but was not the best pitcher on the Padres staff this year. That honor would go to Kirby Yates, who was acquired last year from the Angels, after he had one appearance with Anaheim. Since his arrival in San Diego, all Yates has done is produce in high stress situations.
Following a 1-2-3 8th, Kirby Yates’ ERA now sits at 0.79.
That is pretty good. This guy might be #ASGWorthy, @MLB.#LetsGoPadres pic.twitter.com/SIW3fIHHQh
— FOX Sports San Diego (@FOXSportsSD) July 1, 2018
Since donning a Padres uniform Yates has exceeded expectations, pitching to a 2.77 ERA in 94.1 innings while striking out 137 batters and walking 30. His ERA+ in that time, which adjusts for outside factors such as the stadium, is at a 151 which puts him well above average for any pitcher. This year, he has been even more impressive, allowing only 6 earned runs in 38.2 innings pitched, striking out 50 in that span with an ERA+ of 286, which is downright dominant. Combine all that with the fact that he is under control through 2020 and you have a valuable option for any contending club for not only this year.
Craig Stammen has always been a solid reliever. In his career, he has pitched to a 3.72 ERA over 620 innings in nine years of MLB service time. Since he joined the Padres, he has been even better, lowering his ERA to 2.99 in 129.1 innings pitched. He has thrown seven innings in the play-offs with the Nationals while being used in high leverage innings for the Padres the last two years. He has been there and understands what it takes to get the job done in big-time situations.
Craig Stammen: A Play in Two Acts… pic.twitter.com/cffFY5J9bB
— jesse agler (@jesseagler) March 9, 2018
With that in mind, the Padres and Red Sox might appear to be a favorable match, despite their recent, rocky trade history.
The Padres are currently looking for higher end prospects that are close to competing at the Major League level and with the Red Sox already having their third baseman of the future in Rafael Devers, a move like Yates and Stammen for Michael Chavis, might make a lot of sense for both clubs.
Michael Chavis with the hard shot into the RCF gap for the RBI double. 1-0 @PortlandSeaDogs. Good load on his back leg with a clean swing path. #MiLB pic.twitter.com/u1P2M7Qu5g
— Eric Cross (@EricCross04) July 24, 2018
Before the internet explodes, think about this. Right now, relievers are being highly sought after, by all contenders, and though Chavis is a top prospect, he is currently blocked by a better player. For the Red Sox to get the quality they want, they may have to lose Chavis, especially after seeing what the Indians and Yankees have surrendered to improve their own bullpens. The fact of the matter is this: the Red Sox do not have the farm system they once had and three of the top relief arms on the market (Brad Hand, Jeurys Familia and Zach Britton) are no longer available. In order to improve their bullpen and grab any value left, they may have to make this type of sacrifice.
Since he was a little kid he wanted to be one of those guys at the game who had the headset on, listening to the Colonel and Uncle Teddy, he has grown out of that, but the love is still there. Padres’ coverage will be biased at times, but mostly an honest dissection of the team he loves.
Britton, who is owed still $5 mil for the rest of the year,and has an expiring contract this year, got the #84 ranked prospect according to mlb.com plus more. Yates, who is owed less than a mil for the rest of the year, who is durable and not coming off a major injury, w way better numbers and w 3+ years of control, should get way more than Britton. Chavis is ranked #63 according to mlb.com,but his PED suspension, I’m not sure is factored?? I guess I’m floored the O’s got so much. Stammen even seems more valuable than Britton w his numbers , contract and control for another year. Yates+Stammen should get us Groome(#76)and Chavis
I’m not sure when this article was written in relation to the trades made in the past 24 hours. Both the Yankees and Red Sox have trading for a pitcher in the past day or so. Houston still has not acquired a reliever, so it seems they are more likely to make a trade with the Padres over other teams. Not sure how well the two teams match up.
Go for Jay Groome. His value is down because of TJ surgery. He should be back next year. At one time he was thought to be the #1 prospect going into the draft.
I’m equally wary of Chavis for the reason Roddy mentioned above. Personally I like Bobby Dalbec but he’s not much further along than Hudson Potts – almost same level. Still I would want Chavis + 1-2 prospects if they’re getting both Stanmen/Yates or if it’s one of those and Ross (they need starting pitching more than I think they need relievers).
Ross/Yates for Chavis/Mata
I would be wary of Chavis, who had a breakout season in 2017, but was busted for PED use shortly thereafter. I don’t think his defense at third is that great — he projects more as a first baseman, and we have plenty of players like that already.