Will Padres make a serious attempt to sign Stephen Strasburg

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HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 30: San Diego Padres Stephen Strasburg #37 of the Washington Nationals celebrates after defeating the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game Seven to win the 2019 World Series in Game Seven of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 30, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

The San Diego Padres primary target this offseason will be Stephen Strasburg, but do they have what it takes to get a deal done.

There is no question that the San Diego Padres need a Stephen Strasburg atop their rotation, and the front office has even indicated that they’ll pursue him.

But just how serious will their pursuit of him really be?

That’s something that Padres fans will likely debate all offseason until Strasburg ultimately picks his landing spot.

Obviously, it would be a fairy tale ending to his career if he ended up in his hometown of Southern California and helped his hometown team back to the postseason.

But fairy tales are best done in movies, and we’re talking real life here.

As much as I’m sure Strasburg would love to play back home, he’s going to take the best deal offered to him. And he also has a great thing going with the Washington Nationals who just won a World Series and are in a good position with him back in their starting rotation to win again.

So don’t get any foolish ideas that Strasburg is just going to take a hometown discount to come help out the Padres.

If the Padres are serious about signing Strasburg they’re going to need to put up a big fight with a lot of other teams.

Our own Call to the Pen wrote an article listing three potential landing spots for Strasburg and tabbed San Diego as their number one choice.

What they don’t talk about much in that article is money, which we’ll get to later.

But the potential suitors for Strasburg are the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and the Nationals.

All of those teams have some deep pockets, and the Yankees and Phillies are especially in desperate need of a frontline starter.

CHICAGO, IL – JUNE 22: One million dollars in $100 dollar bills is displayed at the Money Museum in the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago June 22, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1914 the Chicago Fed is one of 12 regional Reserve banks that make up the nation’s central bank which helps formulate the nation’s monetary policy. Today the central bank said the economy will expand slower than previously thought, marking the second time this year that Fed officials lowered their forecasts for growth. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) /

How much

Before we talk about whether or not he Padres can get it done, let’s talk about just how much it would cost them.

MLB Trade Rumors predicts that he’ll get a $180 million contract over six years. That’s an average salary of $30 million a year.

I tend to think that’s a little high considering Strasburg will turn 32 next July.

What I would personally pay for Strasburg is $150 over five years, which is still that $30 million a year salary, just on a shorter deal.

But again, if the Padres are going to land the ace, they might have to overpay just like they did with Manny Machado last offseason.

They could try and construct the deal so that it’s backloaded for when Eric Hosmer is only making $13 million a year starting in 2023.

They could pay him $25 million the next three seasons and then bump it up to $35 million the last two or three years — or something to that degree.

Either way you look at it, the Padres are going to have to fork out a lot of money in order to land Strasburg. I don’t see him giving San Diego a hometown discount.

And it’s hard to imagine them having three players making over $20 million a year, which is what they would have for the next three seasons with Machado, Hosmer, and Strasburg.

HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 29: Stephen Strasburg #37 of the Washington Nationals delivers the pitch against the Houston Astros during the first inning in Game Six of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 29, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Will it happen

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I certainly hope it can happen, and I certainly think it can happen if the front office gets creative.

Again, there is no doubt that Stephen Strasburg feels like a perfect fit in San Diego, and the right guy to help lead a young pitching staff and team into contention.

If ever the Padres front office was going to go out and spend big money on a player (again), this is the time.

You just wonder if them going out and making big splashes with Hosmer and Machado the past two offseasons will hold them back.

Plus, when you consider the fact that Strasburg maybe only has two or three prime years left and the Padres will be stuck with him in his declining years, there’s reason for hesitation.

You’re already likely going to be paying Machado big money for his decline years.

But at the same time, if the Padres have a chance to win over the next three years, then I think you have to go for it now.

In order for them to get Strasburg, they’re going to have to find a way to clear some payroll.

That could mean trying to trade players like Wil Myers and maybe even Hosmer.

The 2020 payroll is already sitting at around $120 million, and it’s hard to see the front office raising that to $150 million to sign Strasburg.

If they can find a way to cut $15-20 million from the payroll, then I think it’s definitely a possibility that they sign Strasburg this offseason.

But with all of the competition out there, I’d put the chances of Strasburg coming to San Diego at about 30 percent.

Next. 5 Pads likely traded this offseason. dark

I still think it’s very possible, and I do think the front office will make a serious attempt to sign him, but a lot would have to happen in order for them to be able to make that deal.

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The San Diego Padres primary target this offseason will be Stephen Strasburg, but do they have what it takes to get a deal done.

How much

Will it happen

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