San Diego Padres division-by-division trade targets: NL East

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 28: Pitcher Caleb Smith #31 of the Miami Marlins delivers a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning of a game at Citizens Bank Park on September 28, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

We take a look at each division in baseball and who could be potential trade targets for the San Diego Padres this offseason — starting with the NL East.

The San Diego Padres are expected to be very busy in the trade market this offseason, so we thought it might be a good practice to look at each team by division to see who could be of interest to the Padres.

Of course, the Padres are expected to make all kinds of deals this offseason. Some will be to simply shed money and get rid of a player with a prospect attached to him.

While others will simply be trades to improve the team in 2020 and going forward.

And I wouldn’t be surprised to see a trade or two to restock the farm system, especially if someone like Austin Hedges is traded.

For this exercise, we’re just going to focus on players that might be available who could make the Padres better in 2020.

Marlins

Caleb Smith is a serious trade target for the Padres if the Marlins make him available this offseason.

There has been no indication that Smith is available through trade, but with the Marlins in a long rebuild and at least a couple of years from contention, I think they could be convinced to move him … but it would cost.

The 28-year-old Smith is under team control for four more seasons through arbitration.

He posted a 4.52 ERA in 2019 over 153.1 innings with 168 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.23.

A lot of his struggles came with the long ball as he gave up 33 home runs, which is surprising considering the home park that he pitches in.

It would probably take multiple top 30 prospects to get Smith, who would become a solid middle of the rotation pitcher for the Padres.

Brian Anderson would be another target from the Marlins, but the price may be even higher for him after a 3.8 WAR season in 2019 and him under team control for four more years.

But he does have experience in the outfield and would be a great fit with the Padres.

Braves

Despite the Atlanta Brave being playoff contenders, they have several Major League contributors they could be looking to trade this offseason.

The one the Padres should be considering the most is Ender Inciarte.

At 29-years-old, Ender has won 3 Gold Gloves and is under team control for at least two more seasons for not much money with a team option for the 2022 season.

He’s struggled at times with the bat but still has a career average of .286 in the big leagues.

Another outfield bat the Padres could consider is Adam Duvall. The 31-year-old has two 30 home run seasons at the big league level, but he’s just a career .233 hitter.

And the Padres already have a guy like that in Hunter Renfroe.

Depending on what the Braves do this offseason, they could look to move one of their starting pitchers.

Mike Foltynewicz seems like a good candidate to be traded, and if so, the Padres should consider going after the former All-Star.

He had an up-and-down season in 2019 but has the stuff to be a staff leader. Folty is under team control for two more seasons through arbitration.

Sean Newcomb is another pitcher they could look to trade. He went from the starting rotation to the bullpen in 2019, and they feel like he’s not a future part of their starting rotation maybe they give him a chance to start somewhere else.

Nationals

To be honest, I don’t see many fits with the Washington Nationals. They aren’t likely to trade any of their starting pitchers, and they really don’t have a lot of depth in that area.

Maybe if they do re-sign Stephen Strasburg the Padres could trade for him in a couple of years once the Nationals window has closed.

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The only player that may be of interest is 28-year-old outfielder Michael A. Taylor. He’s under team control for one more season for cheap and could be a solid starting center fielder or fourth outfielder.

He hit .250 in just 88 at-bats this past season with 1 home run. But in 2017 he hit .271 with 19 home runs when given a full-time starting job.

That’s still a reach as I think the Padres already have some guys in-house that can put up similar numbers.

If the Nationals don’t re-sign Ryan Zimmerman and are in need of a first baseman, then maybe they become a potential landing spot for Wil Myers — or perhaps even Eric Hosmer.

But still, that seems like a bit of a stretch. I just don’t see a deal that makes sense with the defending champions this offseason.

Mets

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The New York Mets are a very interesting team entering the 2020 season as we’re not sure if they’re going for it or rebuilding.

Everyone thought they were going to rebuild and trade off assets before the 2019 trade deadline, but then they traded for Marcus Stroman and appear to be building for contention in 2020.

Still, there is the notion that Noah Syndergaard could be available and the Padres should have interest in trading for the 27-year-old who is under team control through arbitration for two more seasons.

He posted the worst ERA of his career in 2019 with a 4.28 ERA in a career-high 197.2 innings with 202 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.23.

Like many pitchers in 2019, he gave up the most home runs of his career with 24.

It was still a very strong season for Syndergaard and he has the ability to be the ace of the Padres staff if they can land him.

Something that could be interesting and potentially disastrous is a trade for Yoenis Cespedes. The 34-year-old missed all of 2019 with an injury and there hasn’t been much talk about him sense.

He’s owed $29.5 million in 2020, the last year on his deal, so there’d have to be some money swapped somewhere.

But if Cespedes can prove himself healthy, that could be a big outfield bat for the Padres. This may be one to revisit during the season once Cespedes proves he’s healthy.

Phillies

Just about everybody in the NL East is going for it in 2020, so it’s hard to find some Major League talent to trade for this offseason.

The Phillies are likely to spend big again this offseason to try and make the playoffs in 2020. And to do that, they may look to unload some of the big contracts that they have.

One that sticks out is Jake Arrieta.

I know he had a bad year in 2020 by his standards, but he’s still a very solid pitcher and could give a young Padres’ rotation some experience.

He’s owed $20 million in 2020 and then has two team options that will likely be declined.

Maybe the Padres can get the Phillies to pitch in some money and San Diego sends them a decent prospect in return.

Jay Bruce is an interesting name, but again, I think the Padres already have him in the form of Hunter Renfroe — and at a much cheaper price.

If the Padres do end up trading Luis Urias in a bigger deal this offseason, then I would like the idea of San Diego trading for Cesar Hernandez.

Hernandez is already doing what we hope Urias will do, but he only has one year of control left.

To trade or not to trade Urias. dark. Next

Those are the potential trade targets for the Padres in the NL East. Let us know in the comments below which players intrigue you the most.

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