San Diego Padres Rumors: How likely is a Trade for Iglesias?

The latest rumor involving the San Diego Padres involves Detroit Tigers’ shortstop Jose Iglesias. How likely is this trade to occur?

The San Diego Padres clearly want to address the shortstop position. By trading for Allen Cordoba during the Rule 5 draft, general manager A.J. Preller and the front office gave the position some much needed depth after Alexi Amarista left for free agency.

But according to reports, the Padres are not yet satisfied with the shortstops currently on their roster. Others are apparently being examined, most notably Jose Iglesias.

The Detroit Tigers‘ middle infielder is an excellent defensive player with a reliable bat. Hitting just .255 last season, Iglesias is not going to be a staple in the middle of any order, but he is going to be a force to reckon with nevertheless.

The Padres have checked in with just about every team that may have a SS available. Interest in Jose Iglesias, Hanser Alberto among others.
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) December 8, 2016

With the lowest strikeout rate in baseball, the 26-year-old is a contact hitter, one that provides consistency and reliability. This would fill a major void in the Padres’ lineup, as they do not have the contact hitter lower in the lineup they would like. Also, with Iglesias at just 26 years old yet having five seasons of Major League experience, he could be part of the long term solution and still have experience coming in at the same time.

Under team control through 2018, Iglesias has a very manageable contract, making 2.1 million in 2016. This is yet another attractive variable of this possible deal, as San Diego isn’t a team that is going to break the bank.

Who would the Padres give?

Motor City Bengals recently listed possible San Diego players who may interest the Tigers. The article mentioned Travis Jankowski, Brad Hand, Luis Sardinas, Jarred Cosart, and several prospects, including Carlos Asuaje.

Sardinas, Asuaje, and Jankowski seem like the most likely pieces to be moved from San Diego’s perspective. After all, the chances that the Padres move a key member of their pitching staff are low. They would really be investing a great deal in Iglesias if they did indeed elect to do so.

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The only problem is, the Tigers need pitching, especially relief pitching. At this point, it comes down to how much each club values the young shortstop, and if they can find a balance where both teams feel they benefit.

So how likely is an Iglesias trade? Certainly feasible, considering the need the Padres have and their willingness to make moves. This, combined with the recent moves make a possible trade with the Tigers seem like it could really happen.

However, these reports are very vague as to how many teams are in the Iglesias sweepstakes. This could be problematic for San Diego, because if they end up in the mix with contending teams that spend a lot of money, Sardinas will start at short in 2017.

The Padres may have bigger needs than the shortstop position, but this doesn’t mean that the addition of Iglesias would be a waste. With a Rule 5 pick and Sardinas the only two natural shortstops on the roster, depth is key. Plus, whether or not the Padres feel that Sardinas can be the long term solution at short is in doubt. Having him back up a talented Iglesias would solve a lot of problems and inform fans that the team is in it to contend immediately.

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