San Diego Padres’ Search For Starting Pitching Could End With the Cleveland Indians
Credit: AP Photo
The San Diego Padres are in search of a starting pitcher to be labeled as the team’s ace. The Cleveland Indians have rotation depth, which indicates the two teams could be an excellent matchup in a potential Trevor Bauer deal. Stay tuned.
It is no secret that the San Diego Padres are looking for a top-notch starter to anchor their young pitching staff.
The team has already been linked to Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard from the Mets, as well as Michael Fulmer from the Detroit Tigers. Preller and the Padres were also known to have contacted the Rays before they dealt Chris Archer this past July to the Pirates. The team is in search of that proverbial “ace” to guide a group of youngsters.
Looking around the league, there are teams that match up in a potential trade. One such team is the Cleveland Indians, who were just eliminated from the 2018 playoffs by the defending champion Houston Astros in three games.
The Indians are the kings of a very weak AL Central Division and are presently pitching-rich in the rotation department. With Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, Carlos Carrasco, Shane Bieber, Adam Plutko, and Mike Clevinger as possibilities in the rotation, the Tribe has the depth to make a deal. They also have Danny Salazar, who arguably has the best stuff of the bunch, but has battled arm troubles throughout his career. They could trade a pitcher if the return helps them advance in the playoffs in a very difficult American League.
A.J. Preller and the Padres are presently sitting with a youthful roster and a flourishing farm system. They have both the young major league talent and the advanced prospects to get a deal done for potentially anyone they set their eyes on. It all depends on how much of their farm system they are willing to part with to get a deal done.
In contemplating a possible trade between these two clubs you have to look at what makes complete sense for each in regard to their present plans. The Padres would love a starter, and the name that stands out is Trevor Bauer. The Indians are in search of offensive firepower and the Padres could meet their needs in that regard fairly easily. Let’s explore a potential deal.
Obtaining Bauer
Unlike Kluber, Trevor Bauer has yet to find total success in the major leagues. He is close to reaching his potential, but most would argue we have yet to see his ceiling. He exhibited his potential this past season as he was leading the majors in innings pitched (something he takes pride in) before going down late in the season. He took a line drive off his shin resulting in a broken leg. Bauer battled back and made an appearance late in the year for the Tribe, but lacked the arm strength to completely be a factor in the playoffs after missing nearly two months with the injury.
The price tag for him would not be cheap. Don’t kid yourself. Trevor Bauer is 27, and not due for free agency until after the 2020 season. The 27-year-old, right-handed pitcher went 12-6 this past year with a 2.21 ERA and a 1.089 WHIP in 28 games and 175 innings pitched. He struck out 221 in that time resulting in an 11.3 K/per nine-inning rate. In his last four years in Cleveland, Bauer’s numbers have gotten better as he matures and understands the game. He owns a career 59-47 record with a 3.94 ERA in 160 games and seven major league seasons.
2018 was truly his breakout year as Bauer lowered his walk rate, improved his K rate to an all-time high, and only allowed nine homers in 175 innings pitched. He was named an all-star for the first time, and it is there that I heard him speak about advanced pitching metrics and such. Bauer is a student of the game and takes great pride in preparing himself to get better. He would be a nice addition to the Padres’ young staff in that regard. Bauer is a quirky guy. Some say he should have been a left-hander because of his personality. However, his demeanor would fit well with a laid back Padres staff as they grow to relevance.
The Price Tag
Acquiring Trevor Bauer would not be cheap. The Indians would be very hesitant to deal him as he was the team’s best pitcher for most of the 2018 season. But the Tribe has lofty goals. They want a World Championship. Sometimes you have to make a tough decision if it means creating a better team.
Outfielders Melky Cabrera, Rajai Davis, and Michael Brantley are all free agents this winter. The Indians need outfielders for the 2019 season. The Padres just happen to have an excess in the area, as Manuel Margot, Franchy Cordero, Franmil Reyes, Hunter Renfroe, and Wil Myers all deserve to play every day at the major league level. You can see the beginning of a possible deal. The Indians will need to fill the void from these players, and trading pitching could be an option. Would the Padres consider dealing Hunter Renfroe or Wil Myers in a swap for Bauer? And how much more would the Padres need to pay to get a deal done?
Hypothetically speaking, Myers or Renfroe for Bauer is a great starting point for a deal. Realistically, the Indians would want, and deserve, more for a pitcher like Trevor Bauer. Renfroe broke out in 2018, but he is still capable of falling back into old habits of being nothing more than an average player. Myers has a hefty contract and seems to lack the intensity to play consistently. He is maddening to watch play the game of baseball. But still very intriguing.
At this point, would the Padres be willing to part with a few minor league pitchers to get a deal done? Would names like Jacob Nix or Brett Kennedy interest the Indians at the major league level or would the Padres have to deal from within their top-30 prospects? With a Rule-5 draft coming, could the Padres dangle names like Michael Gettys, Austin Allen, or Pedro Avila in an attempt to kill two birds with one stone? The Padres have the players to get a deal done. Do they value Bauer as a player worth paying the price for?
The Verdict
These two teams already matched up in a deal this season that benefited both teams. Adam Cimber and Brad Hand helped solidify the bullpen in Cleveland during the summer, while Francisco Mejia gives the Padres a very nice option behind the plate for the future. A.J. Preller and Mike Chernoff have a good relationship and could explore more trade options in the coming months as they try to improve their squads.
If the Padres want to get a deal done, they can be very aggressive. They have the pitching depth to offer to the Indians and there is no doubt that the Tribe could use some potent outfield help now. The Padres G.M. told the media at the Don Welke Classic that the team will do their homework on each and every player they covet. Bauer has some personality question marks, but in the end, he is a competitor, and that should outweigh any red flags there may be.
This is something to keep an eye on moving forward, as it seems the Padres will make a move eventually. There are many possible scenarios here and anything can happen, but the Cleveland Indians are certainly an interesting team to watch. Trevor Bauer fits the needs for the Padres. The question is- how much do they covet him, if at all?
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.
Tanned Tom, try not being such an ass, and people.might respect your opinion
I love the premise of this article. Frankly I’m not too familiar with Bauer’s personality, but some do seem to feel it’s problematic. The general feeling is that he’s hard to coach, which should give pause.
But if a team wants to trade a pitcher as good as Bauer was this year, they can have their choice of 95% of the organization.
Bauer is a head case…stay away!
A potential trade for a Cleveland starter is one of the best ideas I’ve heard lately. I think that it’s definitely feasible from an asset standpoint on both sides. I doubt they would give up Kluber, but a second tier starter from them would automatically be our #1.
Not smart. Why would the Padres be ready to trade away Renfroe or Reyes? Trading either at this point is dumb. Plus Bauer is not a leader, has personality issues, and only one legit ace-like season. Plus it would require more than Renfroe and Myers. Too much. Doesn’t make sense at this point of the rebuild.
Bauer is finally living up to expectations this year, plus Indians also need bullpen pieces as two of their top relievers are free agents. Pads also have excess bullpen pieces. So might try Renfroe, Stammen and Wingenter, possibly with a sweetener like Naylor. Will take a lot to get Bauer, but would be worth it.
Bauer is a gigantic asshole and has had one very good season. No thanks.
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He cant even throw to a base and single handedly lost game 4 for the Indians. Terrible idea and not for two years of control. One its a year to early to do this and two you need to get at least 3 to 4 yrs of control if you are going to move assets and prospects.
Do you think maybe a cal qualtril and hunter renfroe would be enough to acquire Trevor Bauer?
Maybe at the beginning of 2018, but Quantril’s value has plummeted. Logan Allen and Renfroe maybe
If we’re serious about getting Bauer, we’re going to offer more than the likes of Kennedy, Nix, Gettys, and Allen. Wil Myers isn’t much of a trade chip either, unless the Padres eat most of his contract (I doubt Fowler will go along with this). Instead of getting an ace, Padres should aim for a good reclamation project like Dylan Bundy or Sonny Gray.
No, they do not need a reclamation project. They need to get serious and get a legit starter to start becoming a contender. One thing not mentioned is Trevor Bauer will only sign one-year contracts. So his contracts should never be an anchor.
We’ve had more success with reclamation projects (Pomeranz, Chacin, Cahill, Ross) then other teams have had with supposed legit starters (Darvish, Lynn, Chatwood, Cobb, Arietta)
A reclamation project is something completely separate from this as far as I’m concerned. You can and should do both. Just because you trade for an ace doesn’t mean you don’t need starters for depth, most teams find reclamation projects for this.
Depends which Allen you are referencing. Outside Chris Paddack, Luis Patino no one made more strides this season than Logan Allen so it makes zero sense to move him before he has his shot as a Padre.
People quickly forget what Wil did in 2016 and 2017. Hes not Chris Davis, and hes 28 years old. Yeah his price goes up in 2020 but here a thought for you. Heres a thought.
Padres take on the suggested arb amount of 12.4M for Sonny Gray and the suggested arb amount of 9.1M of Didi Gregorius . That takes 21.5M from the Yanks on pieces they dont want or need (going after Machado). The Yanks essentially get a 30/30 guy in the prime of his career for 4yr 50M . If they balk, you entice them with prospects or by adding money. If no money then the prospects are gona hurt. If they eat money, you can get away with a package of blocked positions, position depth and/or rule 5 eligible pieces. You put Wil in a lineup where he doesnt have to be the guy and the band box that is Yankee Stadium 30/30 will be almost a given.
“if they balk”? LMFAO.
Tanned Tom, May you should not be such a pompous asshat and people would actually respect your comments. But I doubt you care..LMFAO!!
Dude, you need to chill out. alan alan steve posted something I thought was funny, using “balk” in that way. Anyway it made me laugh. Not saying Chris Rock is going to use it in his next special, but I found it clever.
But for some reason this offended you and you decided to
1) try to insult me
2) create a separate screen name so you could comment without people knowing who you really are
3) drag my mother into this
Really?
Maybe if you think about this you will see my point, this is just a baseball site after all.