Padres rumors: 3 players not named Juan Soto that could be moved this winter

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Many of the narratives surrounding the San Diego Padres upcoming offseason involve Juan Soto being traded. But we might only be scratching the surface of the changes in personnel that may lie ahead.

That is, if you believe the latest from USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale, who reported that the Padres could be open to trading away some of their other big stars this winter in order to make room on their crowded payroll for a Juan Soto extension.

Surprised? Understandable. But make no mistake: the Padres have done this to themselves. As they navigate the uncertain waters that come with needing a $50 million loan to finance their expenses, change is undoubtedly forthcoming.

With all of that said, let's look at three players not named Juan Soto that could be traded this winter according to Nightengale.

1. The San Diego Padres could trade Fernando Tatis Jr. this winter

There are those who believe Tatis Jr. was a major culprit behind the San Diego Padres' clubhouse discord in 2023. He has acted irresponsibly, whether it be his motorcycle accident that caused him to miss all of 2022 or his PED suspension that forced him to miss the first 20 games of the 2023 season.

It's also true that for all of Tatis Jr.'s character flaws, he's a dynamic hitting talent that would be an asset to basically every lineup in baseball. Not to mention, he just won a Gold Glove for his defense in right field.

He's the whole package as a player, and while he was given a massive 14-year, $340 million extension two seasons ago, that contract will cover his prime years, an investment worth making just on his baseball abilities alone. The Padres could receive a franchise-altering haul for him, not to mention making room on their payroll for a Juan Soto extension, which they've been eyeing.

2. The San Diego Padres could trade Xander Bogaerts this winter

Insert The Simpsons meme where the old man puts his hat on the coat rack, only to leave right after. That's what the San Diego Padres trading Xander Bogaerts would look like.

If trading Bogaerts one year into his 11-year pact with the Friars is what it'll take to extend Soto (as Nightengale wrote), that's a steep price to pay. The 31-year-old shortstop was solid in 2023, with 19 home runs and a 120 OPS+ at the dish, the kind of production at a premium position that teams would want to acquire.

Winning long-term comes at a cost, but you don't have to tell the Padres that. The possibility of trading Bogaerts nonetheless appears slim, at best. And moving a big contract at his age is never an easy pill to swallow, but what's the harm in seeing what kind of offers might be out there?

Again, if the goal is to extend Juan Soto long-term, this avenue wouldn't be the worst way to shed some payroll in order to accommodate such plans.

3. The San Diego Padres could trade Jake Cronenworth this winter

Easily the most moveable of the players Nightengale listed, Jake Cronenworth seems like an obvious trade candidate even without the caveat of needing to move money to make a Juan Soto extension work.

Cronenworth would be a sell-low candidate, coming off his worst big league season to date in 2023. However, if the Padres are willing to absorb some of the money he's owed on his seven-year, $80 million extension? They could extract real value from another club given Cronenworth's versatility in the field and prior track record at the plate.

It should be noted that Nightengale believes San Diego "would like" to move Cronenworth, which is a stronger sentiment than the speculative nature of his Bogaerts and Tatis Jr. name drops. Still, nothing is concrete at this stage, so it's worth monitoring these rumors as they come up.

One possible Cronenworth destination? The New York Mets, who we believe would be a good match if they were willing to trade one Pete Alonso in a salary swap deal.

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San Diego Padres rumors: 3 star players not named Juan Soto that could be moved this winter

1. The San Diego Padres could trade Fernando Tatis Jr. this winter

2. The San Diego Padres could trade Xander Bogaerts this winter

3. The San Diego Padres could trade Jake Cronenworth this winter

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