San Diego Padres Have the Money Available to Add Jake Arrieta

Jake Arrieta is still unemployed. A.J.Preller and the San Diego Padres’ front office have the brains and supplemental weapons to bring Arrieta to Southern California. Here’s how it can be done!

As per baseball-reference, the San Diego Padres are committed to $81.7 million in salary in 2018. The Friars, however, are only committed to $53.2 million in 2019, $59 million in 2020, and $44.5 million in 2021.

The Padres are accountable for Chase Headley‘s $13 million after acquiring him from the Yankees. They also added Freddy Galvis from the Phillies for $6.83 million. Both Galvis and Headley will be free agents in 2019.

The Padres also owe James Shields $11 million this year. This will be the last year that they will be accountable for Shields’ failure of a deal.

Post-2018, the San Diego Padres will have $30.8 million (Shields, Galvis, Headley) available and this should suffice to provoke their thoughts and put together a deal for Arrieta, though we could surely see Galvis in San Diego if he impresses this season.

Arrieta’s expected cost

Jake Arrieta was making $15.6 million in 2018. He has been vocal about not having to take a pay-cut in what has been an underwhelming market for hurlers who are in their thirties. He, however, was only making $3,6 million in 2016 and $10.7 million in 2017.

The Chicago Cubs moved away from Arrieta and replaced him with Yu Darvish instead. They offered the Japanese hurler, who will turn 32 in August, a 6-year $126 million contract. Darvish will be making $25 million this year.

Jake Arrieta, who just turned 32, will also be looking at a similar long-term deal. Because he is coming off a not-so-stellar year, he might have to make compromises and perhaps take a pay-cut.

With all the above facts, the Friars could surely put together a deal to ink Jake Arrieta. The Padres could come up with a 5-year deal worth maybe $80 million. The deal will have to be heavily loaded in 2019 and 2020 for it to be feasible, as well as to protect San Diego’s investment from risks.

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Hopefully, compromises will be made and we’ll see Arrieta on the mound in April for the Padres. I’m sure Preller knows all of this anyway, but it doesn’t hurt to spread the word to the Friars’ faithful.