Do San Diego Padres need to make a blockbuster trade this offseason

CHICAGO, IL - JULY 20: Kris Bryant #17 of the Chicago Cubs greets Willson Contreras #40 after they scored runs in the 1st inning against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field on July 20, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - JULY 20: Kris Bryant #17 of the Chicago Cubs greets Willson Contreras #40 after they scored runs in the 1st inning against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field on July 20, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
1 of 3
Next
Tommy  Pham #29 of the Tampa Bay Rays and now San Diego Padres. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Tommy  Pham #29 of the Tampa Bay Rays and now San Diego Padres. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

We look at whether or not the San Diego Padres need to make a blockbuster move this offseason in order to compete in 2020.

The San Diego Padres are definitely a better team right now than they were in 2020 simply by the acquisition of Tommy Pham.

If we go into the 2020 season with the roster as currently constructed and everyone stays healthy, I believe this team can win 80-85 games.

Related Story. Padres projected 2020 win total. light

While that’s certainly an improvement from 2019 and gives the team a chance at their first winning record since 2010, I’m not sure that it’s enough to get them in the playoffs.

It still feels like there is something missing for this roster to put them over the top.

And if the goal from A.J. Preller and the front office is to reach the postseason in 2020, then they can’t be finished making moves.

It was a quiet month of December for Preller as we waited, and continue to wait, for some of the top free agents to come off the board.

There still remain three highly prized free agents in Josh Donaldson, Marcell Ozuna, and Nicholas Castellanos.

San Diego doesn’t figure to be involved on any of those players, but once they sign we should start to see the trade market open up, and that’s where the Padres will be very active.

I expect January to be a very active month for San Diego, and really all of baseball with tons of trade rumors and speculation.

Do we see the Padres make a blockbuster move this offseason, and what would that look like?

Francisco  Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
Francisco  Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /

Where is the blockbuster

In order for a deal to be a blockbuster, in my opinion, there has to be a top 50 player involved and a top five team prospect going back in return.

Something like we saw at the past trade deadline when Zack Greinke was traded to the Houston Astros.

I already gave you my top 5 trade candidates for the Padres the rest of this offseason, but none of those are blockbuster candidates.

Related Story. Top 5 trade targets. light

Now let’s consider who San Diego could trade for that would be considered a blockbuster.

There have already been a ton of rumors about Francisco Lindor, and even though I don’t think it makes much sense for San Diego to trade for him, that would certainly be a blockbuster.

A Kris Bryant trade would be huge. There hasn’t been much — or any talk — about the Padres having interest, but if Bryant has two years left he could make sense in the outfield.

Another Cubs player, Willson Contreras, has been mentioned with the Padres and that would certainly be a blockbuster as he’s one of the best catchers in the game.

The Padres could use an upgrade in center field and Mookie Betts is apparently available, but that deal makes no sense to me unless you can negotiate an extension as part of the deal as he’s a free agent after 2020.

Mike Clevinger would be a blockbuster in my mind and would be the best move San Diego could make to solidify the top of the rotation.

There may be others become available, but going off MLB Trade Rumors list of the top trade targets, those are the players San Diego could trade for that would be considered a blockbuster.

A general view of PETCO Park. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
A general view of PETCO Park. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Does it need to happen

More from Friars on Base

Trading for one of those players would completely change the dynamic of this team going into 2020 and would certainly make them a true contender for a playoff spot.

But is it necessary? … of course not.

Wouldn’t it be fun, though?

I definitely think Preller will at least check-in on those players to see what the cost is, but at the same time he’s most likely comfortable going into the season with the roster he has with maybe a couple of smaller tweaks.

And then if this team is in the race come July, that’s when I think we see Preller take a big risk and look for that blockbuster trade to put them over the top.

San Diego was a .500 team entering this past July but then went 8-16 and Preller took his hand off the trigger.

If they’re at a similar spot in 2020 I think we see him be much more aggressive.

While I would certainly love to see a blockbuster get done this offseason to put this team over the top, I don’t feel it’s the right time for that type of move.

We need to see the team respond on the field first and show they are worthy of the front office taking that kind of risk.

San Diego certainly has the prospects to get a blockbuster deal done whenever they want.

Next. Mancini -- the perfect fit. dark

Even though there is still work to be done this offseason, and I still think we see a very active January from Preller, I don’t really see him getting a blockbuster deal done this offseason.

Next