Padres should be all in on Twins ace José Berríos
Credit: Associated Press
The San Diego Padres should have interest in Minnesota Twins’ starter José Berríos who has been mentioned in possible trade rumors approaching the deadline.
The trade rumors are heating up, and the San Diego Padres will be mentioned in many different scenarios.
Jose Berríos is a name that stands out the most on the trade market.
The Twins’ ace is putting together a solid 2021 season, but Minnesota currently has the sixth-worst record in baseball. The Twins most likely will be sellers, and the Padres should be all over Jose Berríos.
Through 18 starts, Berríos ranks 29th in ERA at (3.48), 27th in strikeouts with (114), 21st in WHIP at (1.10), and 25th in SO/9 at (9.44). His numbers are not jaw-dropping, but he will most likely be the top starter dealt this season if traded.
Twins RHP José Berríos puts hitters away with one of the sharpest curves in baseball. ⚾️🔥 pic.twitter.com/gBT26FNkga
— Hardball Highlights™ (@BallplayerVault) May 17, 2019
Here is why the Padres should consider trading for the two-time Allstar
The starting rotation is not where they expected it to be at this point in the season. Injuries are piling on, and it’s forcing the Padres to bring up many minor-league arms. Starters Yu Darvish and Blake Snell spent time on the Injured List (IL). Snell recently returned to the rotation and pitched four innings against the Nationals on Saturday, and Darvish is expected to start against the Atlanta Braves. Starter Ryan Weathers is currently on the IL with a bone fracture in his right ankle. Dinelson Lamet is also on the IL, and it is unclear when he will return.
The Padres lost starter Adrian Morejon to Tommy John surgery earlier in the season, and we all know about Mike Clevinger.
Even though Chris Paddack is healthy, his performance on the mound is not productive. His numbers are high, and strikeout numbers are low, making it difficult to keep him in the rotation.
It seems as if Padres’ top pitching prospect McKenzie Gore is behind schedule. He isn’t expected to make his major-league debut any time soon. With the injures and lack of production, the Padres need to make a move at the deadline for another starter.
Kansas City Royals starter Danny Duffy and Pittsburgh Pirates starter Tyler Anderson also have been brought up in rumors. Though, the Padres will be getting an ace in Berríos if they can land him.
There are still plenty of prospects that the Padres can trade for Berríos, and it likely wouldn’t cost MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, or Robert Hassell III. If that is indeed the case, general manager A.J. Preller won’t hesitate to pull the trigger. I doubt any team would want him with the way Paddack is pitching, but he could be included in a trade.
Possible rotation with Berríos
- Yu Darvish
- Jose Berríos
- Joe Musgrove
- Blake Snell
- Dinelson Lamet
- Chris Paddack/Ryan Weathers
Possible 2022 rotation with the return of Sunshine
- Yu Darvish
- Jose Berríos
- Joe Musgrove
- Blake Snell
- Dinelson Lamet
- Mike “Sunshine” Clevinger
- Chris Paddack/Ryan Weathers/McKenzie Gore
Wouldn’t that be something?
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However, likely, one of those names won’t be there in 2022.
The Padres are clearly in win-now mode and are competing for a World Series title. The offense is starting to click, but the rotation needs improvement if the Padres want to remain competitive. Adding at least one more starter to this rotation should release some of the stress on manager Jayce Tingler and the rotation.
Chris is a graduate of the University of San Diego. He is the former Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris has covered the San Diego Loyal, and now covers San Diego State Men’s Basketball. He also contributes regularly about the Padres. Chris is an athlete and is a huge fan of San Diego sports.