Padres in “exploratory talks” with Royals for Andrew Benintendi
Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals are talking trade for Andrew Benintendi.
East Village Times has learned that the San Diego Padres and the Kansas City Royals are in exploratory talks for outfielder Andrew Benintendi.
Kansas City currently sits in last place in their division with the worst record in all of MLB. Benintendi is a pending free agent and will indeed be dealt by the Royals at some point before the August 2 trade deadline.
The Royals’ aim is to get as many prospects in return for Benintendi before he leaves town. San Diego is undoubtedly capable of paying the hefty asking price.
The Padres are in need of outfield production, and Benintendi is off to a hot start in his free agent year. The former A.L. Gold Glove-Award winner (2021) is hitting .321 on the year with a .799 OPS for the Royals in 52 games. The thought is that he could play in left-field for the Padres, pushing Jurickson Profar to a platoon role or a bench role until Wil Myers is healthy enough to return in 3-6 weeks from a knee injury.
San Diego is armed with several prospects, and these two franchises have come together in recent years on multiple trades. There is a decent likelihood that the two sides can come to an agreement. Tim Hill and Trevor Rosenthal were both acquired by San Diego in the past few seasons for a package of prospects.
A.J. Preller and his Padres staff are very aggressive when it comes to upgrading the roster. There is little doubt that he will make several moves in the coming months. The outfield position has several question marks, and it is likely that San Diego makes a few moves to solidify the team for a hopeful playoff run.
The asking price for Benintendi shouldn’t be debilitating to the Padres system. A few mid to lower-level players within the Padres’ top prospects should be enough for the Royals to accept a deal. The Padres have plenty of depth at the lower levels and could assist the Royals in their rebuilding process.
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Going over the collective bargaining tax is something the Padres are trying to avoid, so San Diego would need to move some salary in a potential deal. A third team is a possibility in this trade, or the Padres may be working a few different angles with several teams.
The two sides (Royals and Padres) are reportedly in the early stages of talks, but San Diego is looking to get a deal done sooner rather than later.
Stay tuned for more details.
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If AJ brings someone in, he will need to deal salary. That could come in the form of Myers, Snell, Kim, or one of our 5M relievers. I could see Preller and a Yankees trade if we gave them Myers, Suarez, and a lower minor leaguer for Gallo. A salary dump for Myers replacement. But, Gallo isn’t the consistent hitter we need.
Anyone who believes AJ doesn’t overpay has not been watching baseball for long. I cannot see him changing his ways at this point.
I have been on the fence regarding Hosmer. He is an integral part of the chemistry and clubhouse. AJ needs to be careful to not upset that too drastically. Regardless, players know it’s a business and Preller HAS to shed payroll somehow.
Seriously? Does Preller have “Must buy high, and sell low” in his contact?
Also, he will have to demand other teams pay most of the contact, due to his massive incompetence, so he will have to give even more value in the fleecing
There wouldn’t be any “sell low” in this deal as Benintendi is a free agent at the end of the season. And would you prefer Preller & Co. buy low and hope that the player acquired starts hitting once in a Padre uniform, if it was that easy, they wouldn’t be needing to acquire an OFer.
The point is that Preller’s pattern is to buy high, and sell low. And he would be here as well. Benintendi is hitting over 30 points higher than he ever has (kind of like another left handed hitter last year… Adam Frazier, and is due for a major regression), and so, like last year, and nearly every other deal, Preller would be buying high, and, as is his norm, selling low. What he sells/gives up has nothing to do with AB being a FA. Getting fleeced in the Mariners trade, the Brewers trade, the Dodgers trade, the Nationals trade, etc, etc …had nothing to do with FA status.
I agree with Dustin. Preller is a disaster as a GM and probably the most overrated GM in baseball. Given an unlimited amount of money to spend on players we find ourselves with no one in the Outfield who can hit consistently and two catchers that can’t hit their weight. We have a first baseman who we acquired by bidding against our self and are now stuck with a contract no one wants. The only way to get rid of him is to attach top prospects. No way should a team with a payroll like this have so many holes and so many subpar players.
Nothing is easy, or “that easy,” when you, as GM, paint yourself into a corner. Preller left the team beyond vulnerable. He has no leverage, and so it is easy pickin’s for the other teams. And even when he has the leverage, he gladly surrenders all of it, and then some (e.g. Hosmer).