San Diego Padres: Team should seek a trade with Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Angels received some bad news on starter Griffin Canning, so might they turn to the San Diego Padres for pitching help?

This is always the worst part of Spring Training. Heading into the season, full of hope, and a key injury quickly changes that mindset. Los Angeles Angels starter Griffin Canning received the worst news possible when his MRI revealed damage to his UCL and acute joint irritation. In case you didn’t know, that’s bad. In what figures to be a competitive year for the ballclub, might they turn to the San Diego Padres for pitching help?

As noted countless times, the Padres have an abundance of pitching talent and depth that will overflow into the minors due to a lack of available space at the big-league level. Too much pitching is not a thing, but the Padres also have several positions that could use an upgrade, and at some point, General Manager AJ Preller has to make a move to address the deficiencies.

The Angels have a farm system that is ranked in the middle of the pack, according to Baseball America. However, they still have several players that could be assets in a trade. Jo Adell is likely off the table unless the trade would require parting with MacKenzie Gore, but both teams are going to hang onto their top prospects.

I believe that the Padres would prefer either an outfielder or middle infielder. A catcher would also be a good option, but the Angels severely lack talent both at the big-league level and in the minors at this position.

Brandon Marsh, OF

The 22-year-old slashed .300/.383/.428 with 21 doubles, seven home runs, and 43 RBI in 96 games for the Angels’ Double-A outfit last year. He has also displayed his abilities on the base paths, swiping 18 bags. The former second-round pick of the 2016 MLB Draft is projected to be ready later this year and could be a valuable resource if Wil Myers is traded or Franchy Cordero‘s injury problems surface again, or a combination of the two.

Jeremiah Jackson, 2B/SS

The Padres need long-term help at second base after sending Luis Urias to the Milwaukee Brewers. Of Brian Dozier, Jurickson Profar, and Greg Garcia, only Garcia is under contract beyond this season. Jackson was the team’s second-round pick of the 2018 Draft and is projected to be ready by 2022.

He spent all of the 2019 season playing in the rookie ball but slashed .266/.333/.605 with 14 doubles, two triples, 23 home runs, and 60 RBI. The 19-year-old has primarily played shortstop in his brief professional career, but he would fill the biggest need at second base.

Luis Rengifo, 2B

If the Dodgers were willing to part with Joc Pederson for Rengifo, imagine what the Padres could get for either Joey Lucchesi or Cal Quantrill. The 23-year-old Rengifo is buried in the Angels’ depth chart and slashed .238/.321/.364 with 18 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, and 33 RBI in 108 games with the big-league club last year.

He appears to be still adjusting to Major League pitching but generally performed well at every stop in the minors. He slashed a combined .299/.399/.452 with 30 doubles, 13 triples, seven home runs, and 64 RBI while stealing 41 bases across three levels of the Angels’ minor league system.