Padres Trade Target: Will Middlebrooks

Now that Pablo Sandoval (and Hanley Ramirez) have joined the Red Sox, and even though the Padres certainly made a competitive offer to Sandoval, it’s time to move on. The Padres still need offense, and even though they have flexibility, you can still get creative and the Sandoval signing can help that.

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Will Middlebrooks is now an odd man out in Boston since the Kung Fu Panda will now be manning that position. Middlebrooks inability to continue his great rookie campaign was a reason why.

Middlebrooks hit just .191/.256/.265 with two homers and 19 RBI in 2014. However, he hit 17 homers albeit with a .227 average back in 2013.  When he came up in 2012, he hit .288 with 15 homers and 54 RBI in 75 games as a rookie.

Middlebrooks has ability, and he could be a change of scenery guy the Padres could get, possibly for nothing and have him come in and possibly win the job at third base. Sometimes you need to buy low on a player and it can work.

Middlebrooks turned 26 this past September. He’s young, cost controlled and has pop. He could be a good change of scenery target for the Padres, and someone that could be a part of an offensive turnaround in 2015.