Wil Myers confirms Padres departure, signs short deal with Reds

The San Diego Padres may be a legitimate contender with some of the biggest names in the sport on the payroll, but they had some truly bleak baseball on the docket for most of the last decade. One player who was there through all the trials and tribulations was slugger Wil Myers.

After the Rays traded the former top prospect and Rookie of the Year to San Diego, Myers spent the next eight seasons as a beacon of consistency, often serving as the one power threat teams had to fear on a team that just was not well equipped to do damage in a competitive NL West.

With names like Juan Soto and Manny Machado sliding into the picture over the last few years, Myers has had to take a step back. Aware of the changing tides in southern California, Myers officially brought an end to his lengthy tenure in Padres colors by agreeing to join a young NL Central team.

Multiple sources have confirmed that Myers will sign a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds. While this team clearly not ready for contention, the idea of playing every day in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in baseball could be what Myers needs to get his career back on track.

San Diego Padres great Wil Myers signed with the Reds.

Myers hit 134 home runs in eight seasons with San Diego. Highlights of his Padres tenure include an All-Star nod in 2016, launching 58 home runs in 2016 and 2017, and playing a part in San Diego's climb back to relevancy. The last few years, however, haven't ranked among his most productive ever.

Myers finished 16th in MVP voting after crushing it in the COVID-shortened season, but he mustered just 24 home runs in 223 games following that year. While his OPS+ was still above 100 in both of those campaigns, it became clear that he had lost some of his power. The team had to move on.

While Myers may have surprised some by choosing a young Reds team over a contender, this situation could work out for him in the long run. Myers can get his groove back in a hitter-friendly park while serving as a veteran leader for this young bunch. Perhaps he can earn a trade to a contender.

Myers deserves the chance to compete for a championship after plodding away with some lackluster Padres teams for most of this career. Hopefully, through either improving the roster or a trade, Cincinnati can give Myers that opportunity.