Padres history: Revisiting the Thanksgiving trade that got San Diego two Gold Gloves

Thanksgiving is a perfect time to reflect on your life and express gratitude for all the positives that fill it. It's a time to unwind and feast with family while watching football on the television.

But in 2019, Padres fans had even more to talk about on Thanksgiving. One day prior to the holiday, San Diego traded away Eric Lauer and Luis Urias to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Trent Grisham and Zach Davies. Thanksgiving isn't normally time to discuss baseball, but Padres fans had just acquired a recent first-round draft pick in Grisham. That's a lot to digest.

The 2019 Padres-Brewers swap that sent Luis Urías out and Trent Grisham in

When San Diego made this trade, the club had just handed in its ninth-straight sub-.500 season. It was a decade of losing, and the organization was tired of it. With Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. now on the team, it was time for a change.

Trent Grisham helped with that. In his first season with San Diego - 2020 - Grisham's 2.5 bWAR was third on the team in a shortened campaign that still saw plenty of success. The Padres went 37-23, their first winning record in a long time. Grisham was a smooth-fielding, fast-running young up-and-comer who produced a 123 OPS+. Placing in the 99th percentile in OAA and 94th percentile in arm value, Grisham won his first of two Gold Gloves with the Friars. He became the first Padre to receive the award since Chase Headley in 2012.

Not to mention, Davies was extremely solid in 2020, too. He went 7-4 with a 2.73 ERA in 12 starts.

There was plenty for Padres fans to be thankful for after that trade. The Padres rose to relevancy, all while rostering one of the top defensive outfielders in baseball. Grisham also won a Gold Glove in 2022.

Though he has been with the New York Yankees for the last two seasons, some fans were hopeful of a return to San Diego for Grisham. But, following a career-high 34-home run season in the Bronx, he accepted his qualifying offer to remain in pinstripes.

That pretty much closes the door on Grisham ever coming back to the Padres. But, it was mainly a memorable four-year stretch for him in San Diego. Padres fans have that much to be thankful for.