San Diego Padres Rumors: Don’t Expect High Return From Yankees

Once again, the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees are linked together as possible trade partners.

San Diego Padres closer Brad Hand has now been connected to every single contending team in Major League Baseball. While Padres fans have witnessed their lone All-Star representative struggle over the last week (7.1 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, 6.14 ERA, 1.64 WHIP), Hand has 22 strikeouts and just one walk over his last 16 innings. With noted success as an 8th and 9th inning guy, any team not giving A.J. Preller a phone call would be foolish.

Let’s take a moment to focus on just the New York Yankees, right now. A few weeks ago, I wrote about how Tyson Ross would a perfect fit for a Yankees team in desperate need of starting pitcher. Joe Sherman of the NY Post reported last night that the Bronx Bombers are still interested in Ross but also have been poking around Hand and Kirby Yates.

Unlike the Red Sox, who don’t possess much in terms of impactful prospects, the Yankees do have players the Padres could benefit from having. However, slow down before getting too excited.

New York and Baltimore have been in deep negotiations over a potential deal for All-Star shortstop Manny Machado. In another report by the NY Post, the Yankees are refusing to include any of their top-10 prospects in a deal with Baltimore.

If that’s the case, there’s absolutely no reason to believe that they will pay-up for Ross, Hand, or Yates.

There is, however, one name just outside the Yankees’ top-10 list that is intriguing. Jonathan Loaisiga is the most interesting piece the Yankees have outside of their top-10 and is someone who is on the doorsteps of becoming a full-time MLB bullpen piece. Word of caution on Loaisiga, he is currently on the disabled list with “shoulder inflammation.” According to Coley Harvey, who is covering the Yankees for ESPN this summer, there was no structural damage to Loaisiga’s shoulder and he will return to the mound, shortly.

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• Padres News: Fernando Tatis Jr. trade rumors, Seth Lugo chase, Manny Machado
• Padres barely missed out on high-end veteran starting pitcher

Loaisiga joined the San Francisco Giants in 2013 out of Nicaragua and eventually signed with the Yankees in 2015, after being released by the Giants.

Over the course of 148 minor league innings, he has posted a 2.60 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and a 133/24 K/BB ratio. Just this season, between High-A Tampa and AA Trenton, Loaisiga has a 58/4 K/BB ratio across 45 innings.

He made his MLB debut on June 15th, making four starts for the Yankees. He went 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA, striking out 21 and giving up 8 walks over his 18 innings.

Nicknamed “Lasagna” (he approved of it, since few can pronounce his last name), Loaisiga is a Tommy John survivor, can hit 98 mph with this fastball (with excellent movement), and is a swing-and-miss pitcher (produced 17 swings and misses in his first start with the Yankees). Am I trading Brand Hand for him? Absolutely not, however, if the Yankees really need viable pitching to get them another World Series title (which they do), how much are they willing to pay for experienced veterans like Ross, Yates, and/or Stammen?

Next: San Diego Padres In The Home Run Derby

Remember, the San Diego Padres have a number of very talented prospects who will be eligible for this year’s Rule-5 draft, too many to protect on the 40-man roster. Adding them to a package that includes Ross or any bullpen pieces, can help bring in talent like Loaisiga, that isn’t 3-4 years away from reaching the majors.