San Diego Padres Rumors: Team Considering Jered Weaver?

More rumors are coming in for the San Diego Padres, once again involving starting pitching. This time, the Padres have been linked to right-hander Jered Weaver.

With the rotation coming together, the San Diego Padres have made a great deal of progress this offseason. Signing Jhoulys Chacin and Clayton Richard to one-year deals, the pitching staff is looking a whole lot better than it was a month ago.

However, it doesn’t appear that general manager A.J. Preller is satisfied yet. Numerous earlier reports indicate that the team has been in talks with Jake Peavy. Now, more rumors are surfacing involving Jered Weaver.

Weaver is 34 years old, so it is unlikely that anything more than a one-year deal would be reached. But still, acquiring a front of the rotation arm like Weaver would be a significant step towards relevance in 2017.

Right now, the rotation would probably be made up of Richard, Chacin, Christian Friedrich, and Luis Perdomo. One more starter is needed though, which could be Paul Clemens. But based on the organization’s aggressive shopping of Peavy and Weaver, they would rather add a different arm to 2017’s rotation.

One way to do this would be by re-signing either Edwin Jackson or Tyson Ross, both free agents. This seems less and less likely though every time another rumor involving a possible starter surfaces, since the team will most likely not acquire two additional starters.

As for Weaver, he has spent eleven seasons in the majors, all with the Los Angeles Angels. Leading the American League in wins in both 2012 and 2014, the three time all-star has had a decorated tenure as an Angel. Though he is declining, posting a 5.06 ERA in 31 starts last season, the Padres could use the experience and the depth the right-hander would provide.

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One major problem for the Padres though would be Weaver’s salary. Making $20 million in 2016, a player of this caliber isn’t going to come cheap, especially to a non-contender. His struggles in 2016 will undoubtedly put a dent in his worth as a free agent entering 2017,

Also, since Weaver has spent his entire career in the AL, a move to the NL at this stage would be extremely difficult. With the rebuilding process the Padres are currently going through, San Diego probably wouldn’t be the veteran’s ideal destination this late in his career.

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For the Padres though, Weaver would fill a void that they need to fill in some way. Whether it is Peavy, Ross, Jackson, or Weaver, a veteran who can be a second or third starter in 2017 is the organization’s top need at this point. Rumors which suggest that Preller is pursuing options like these are encouraging, as fans can be assured that the front office is not writing off 2017 just yet.