San Diego Padres trade rumors: Starting pitching

As the deadline approaches, San Diego Padres trade rumors are heating up. In this article, the Friars on Base staff discusses Friar starters who could potentially be dealt.

Teams with any hope of making the playoffs have already started to make trades for pitchers with left-hander Jose Quintana moving across town from the Chicago White Sox to the Cubs.  The Padres have made no secret of the fact that the team will be open to trading veterans including southpaw Clayton Richard as well as righties Jhoulys Chacin and Trevor Cahill.

The three have identical one-year $1.75 million dollar contracts, which makes them slightly more attractive to trading partners. However other names like Sonny Gray, Justin Verlander, and Gerrit Cole have been bandied about as well.

This year the Padres chose the 29-year-old Venezuelan Chacin to start opening day at Dodger Stadium.  He lasted 3.1 innings and gave up eight hits and nine runs. In what has become a tradition, the Dodgers embarrassed the Padres 14-3, hitting a total of four home runs including a grand slam.

Since that game, Chacin has performed relatively well, especially at Petco Park with home/road splits of 5-2 (1.94 ERA) and 3-5, (7.95 ERA).  His WHIP of 1.31 (2017) has been consistent throughout career, and he leads the team with 92 strikeouts.

Chacin, who started his career with the Rockies in 2004), has experience as both a starter and a reliever, possibly adding to his value.  In 2010, his first full year with Colorado he had an impressive 3.28 ERA and nine wins.  Injuries and a lack of consistency led to his release in 2015.  Since then he’s played for the Indians, Diamondbacks, Braves and Angels.

Might the Rockies be interested in having him rejoin club?  With Colorado (as well as Arizona) in the wild card hunt, the Rockies could use another veteran in the rotation.

Related Story: Will Preller’s reputation hamper deadline deals?

Since returning to the Padres in August of 2016, 33-year-old Richard has been a serviceable left-handed innings eater, ranking among leaders with 20 starts.  However, the final game of the series in Colorado did not improve his value.  In one of those Coors Field atrocities, the Padres lost 18-4 with Richards lasting just 3.2 innings, giving up 14 hits, 11 runs, 10 earned.  His ERA rose from 4.75 to 5.35, although his FIP is lower at 4.51.  He recently win the Heart and Hustle Award for the Padres.

Related Story: Trade deadline thoughts: The bullpen

Trevor Cahill’s two trips to the disabled this year for back and shoulder injuries could definitely limit his trade value.  However his experience as both a starter and reliever could mitigate the injury history.

The 29-year-old spent his first three years with Oakland, then three with Arizona, one with Atlanta, two with the Cubs.  Those last two years before signing with the Padres were spent in Chicago’s bullpen.  As a reliever for the Cubs he record 66 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.74 ERA but wanted an opportunity to start again.

Before his stint with the home team Cahill last pitched as a starter in 2014 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. That year he had a record of 3-12 and an unsightly 5.61 ERA in 110 innings.  During his best year, 2010 he finished ninth in the Cy Young voting with a record 18-8 in 196.2 innings and an ERA of 2.97.  Cahill’s career WHIP stands at 1.351, but this year has improved to 1.238. He and Chacin share a 1.4 WAR.

Cheri Bell

When the 2017 baseball season began I anticipated a dismal season for the Padres starting rotation. With cast off signees Jhoulys Chacin, Jarred Cosart, Jered Weaver and Trevor Cahill the Padres resigned 2016 surprise Clayton Richard. Hoping to catch lightning in a bottle, the front office felt that the magic of Darren Balsley would be able to make a serviceable rotation with the addition of last year’s Rule V claim, Luis Perdomo.

At the half way point of the year, Weaver seems to have faded away, Cosart has had season ending surgery and Clayton Richard has been inconsistent, at best. With the addition of Dinelson Lamet to replace the DL problems, Chacin and Cahill have been the best performers but that isn’t saying a whole lot. The entire staff has been inconsistent.

Related Story: Two weeks of torture

With the trade deadline approaching there has been talk that both Chacin and  Cahill could draw interest from contending teams. I find that difficult to believe with  all the inconsistencies they have had through the first half.

If either is traded I don’t think the Padres would get much in return for either one. Lamet and Perdomo have more of a future but the Friars would be foolish to trade young talent at this point, especially with both of them still developing.

It makes sense that Cahill would bring the best return as he is younger with more upside but Chacin seems more able to pitch when lacking his best stuff.

Either way, I will be surprised if the Padres can get much of anything of value in return for either. If they do I will acknowledge A.J. Preller to be the genius some claim he is.