Padres News: Will Venable Traded to Rangers

By Daryll Dorman | Aug 19, 2015

Tuesday the San Diego Padres traded Will Venable to the Texas Rangers for a minor league catcher and a player to be named later. The trade took place two hours before the scheduled game against the Atlanta Braves and Venable was in uniform for the Rangers Wednesday. He did not get an at-bat in his first game for his new club.

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Will Venable had been the longest tenured player on the roster, playing with the Padres since 2008. He had succeeded pitcher Tim Stauffer as the longest-tenured player and now that mantle falls to Yonder Alonso and Andrew Cashner (thanks to Jeff Sanders of the UT) who arrived via trade with the Cubs for…oh yea. (Editors Note: Good thing I got Stauffer and Venable’s autographs prior to the 2014 season…)

Venable had his best season in 2013 and was named Team MVP but in my opinion this year had really found his place as a 4th outfielder with good defensive range and ability and a left-handed bat off the bench. He leaves the Padres with 81 career home runs and a .252 BA. His speed has quietly declined over the past seasons, going from 79 stolen bases 2010-12 to just 44 2013-present but he was still a threat on the base paths.

Defensively he had the flair for the dramatic and perhaps is best remembered by this catch from 2013. At the time, the Padres were playing very good baseball and were creeping up slowly and steadily on the Giants in the division standings. The Padres were battling the Giants in the 12th inning and had the winning run on second base. Juan Perez sent a long fly ball to center and…enter Venable!

The Padres went on to win the game. In a team statement, president Mike Dee noted that Will Venable was a “true professional” and indeed that is how he will be remembered. We wish him luck in Texas on a streaking Texas club that is catching up quickly in the AL West standings after landing

Cole Hamels

at the trade deadline. It would of course be Venable’s first post season appearance.

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