San Diego Padres: Top 3 free agents left to consider this offseason

Alex Wood

There may not be a better bounce-back candidate on the free agent market this offseason than left-handed pitcher Alex Wood.

He has four seasons in his career of being a 2.4 WAR pitcher or better, including a 3.1 WAR season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017.

But Wood picked the worse possible time to have a down season posting a 5.80 ERA in 7 starts with the Cincinnati Reds in an injury-filled 2019 before becoming a free agent.

He’ll most definitely be looking for a one-year deal to try and re-establish his market.

Wood is a fastball, curveball, change-up pitcher who doesn’t throw really hard, but that’s never kept him from striking batters out with a career K/9 of 8.2.

If healthy, Wood has the ability to be a top of the rotation starter.

And at the very least, Wood has the repertoire that could play up as a multi-inning reliever in the bullpen, or even as an opener.

Like Dickerson, Wood’s market hasn’t really developed this offseason and the Padres may luck out as a result. But I have a hard time believing there aren’t other teams out there willing to take a chance on this talented lefty.

But I certainly mind seeing the Padres take that risk and hope they can cash in on the soon-to-be 28-year-old.