Padres general manager A.J. Preller has been a very busy man these past few days. Presumably, he spent the last three days locked in a bunker someplace – with direct communication to all of the other front offices around Major League Baseball – as he did anything and everything in his power to upgrade the Padres roster to make a deep run in October.
On Saturday, you’ll recall, he swung a deal with the Royals to acquire Trevor Rosenthal to fortify the back end of his bullpen.
On Sunday, he made a total of three deals -- acquiring catcher Austin Nola, and relievers Austin Adams and Dan Altavilla from the Mariners, first baseman Mitch Moreland from the Red Sox, and catcher Jason Castro from the Angels.
While each of those moves were nice – they weren’t necessarily the major impact type that would significantly increase the Padres chances of winning the World Series this season. So before Monday’s trade deadline, he made just that type of a move.[[ad:athena]]
The Padres landed a major upgrade to their starting rotation (both for this season and the next few years), acquiring right-hander Mike Clevinger along with outfielder Greg Allen and a player to be named later, from the Indians in exchange for right-hander Cal Quantrill, left-hander Joey Cantillo, outfielder Josh Naylor, catcher Austin Hedges and infielders Gabriel Arias and Owen Miller.
While the Padres gave up quite a bit of volume in this deal, the most impressive part is that they managed to acquire a frontline pitcher with multiple years of team control without giving up any of their top prospects like MacKenzie Gore, Luis Patiño, Luis Campusano, and CJ Abrams. They are locked and loaded for a long time.
Let’s take a look at the fantasy and roster implications for the two sides with this mega deal:
With Clevinger in the mix, that gives the Padres a very formidable trio atop their rotation with he, Chris Paddack and Dinelson Lamet. That sounds like trouble for any opposing club in a short playoff series.
The 29-year-old right-hander is signed through the 2022 season. Since 2017, he has compiled an outstanding 2.97 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 534/175 K/BB ratio over 470 1/3 innings. He’s also moving to an extreme pitcher’s park in San Diego, which will only help his cause. Not to mention the powerful Padres’ offense to support him. From a fantasy perspective, this is a huge upgrade for Clevinger. He’ll make his Padres debut on either Thursday or Friday.
Greg Allen was more a less a throw-in into the deal for the Padres. He’s not going to crack their crowded outfield mix and will function as additional depth at the team’s alternate training site.
For the Indians, the crown jewel of the return package seems to be Gabriel Arias – who was ranked as the Padres seventh best prospect. The 20-year-old shortstop had a breakout season at High-A Lake Elsinore, slashing .302/.339/.470 with 17 homers, 75 RBI and eight stolen bases. His path to the big leagues – at least at shortstop – was obviously blocked in San Diego, now he look to be the heir-apparent to Francisco Lindor.
Joey Cantillo is a 20-year-old southpaw who was ranked as the #9 prospect in the Padres system. In 2019, he went 10-4 with a 2.26 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 144/34 K/BB ratio over 111 2/3 innings between Class-A Fort Wayne and High-A Lake Elsinore. With the success that the Indians have had in developing starting pitchers, Cantillo could be pitching in the big leagues by the end of next season. A nice name to remember as a late-round flyer in the final rounds of 50-round draft champions drafts for next season.
Owen Miller was the Padres third-round pick from the 2018 draft. The 23-year-old was ranked as the 11th best prospect in the Padres organization. He did a nice job in his first exposure to Double-A Amarillo in 2019, slashing .290/.355/.430 with 13 homers, 68 RBI and five swipes in 130 games – playing second base, shortstop and a bit of third base as well. He could project as a utility option for the Padres in 2021.
Austin Hedges is a terrible hitter. There, I said it. He’s a career .199/.257/.359 hitter over 1339 plate appearances at the big league level. Woof. He sure can catch though. He was second in defensive runs saved among catchers last season – behind only Indians’ primary backstop Roberto Perez. The two should form a tremendous defensive tandem in Cleveland. He can continue to be ignored for fantasy purposes.
It’s unclear how the Indians will deploy Cal Quantrill. He was stretched out as a starter this season, but only made one start in his 10 appearances with the Padres, compiling a 2.60 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 18/6 K/BB ratio over 17 1/3 innings. While he’ll provide rotation depth, the Indians’ rotation is still far too deep – even with the departure of Clevinger – for Quantrill to jump right in. He’ll likely work out of the bullpen, which will severely limit his fantasy appeal.
The one player who will have some appeal on the Indians side is Josh Naylor. He’ll take over as the Tribe’s everyday left fielder which makes him a must-add in AL-only formats. The 23-year-old was hitting .278/.316/.417 with a homer, four RBI and a stolen base in 38 plate appearances with the Padres this season. He has plus power and a bit of speed as well, which makes him an intriguing power option in deeper mixed leagues as well.
Despite swinging a seven-player deal with trader Jack DiPoto and the Mariners on Sunday, Preller went back to the well on Monday afternoon, picking up Mariners’ closer Taylor Williams in exchange for a player to be named later.
The 29-year-old hurler has recorded six saves this season while posting an underwhelming 5.93 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 19/7 K/BB ratio across 13 2/3 innings of work. He’ll function in some sort of setup capacity at the back of a crowded Padres’ bullpen.
Rest of the Madness
While it seemed like the Padres were involved in every trade that happened on Monday, they weren’t the only team who made some noise at the trade deadline. Here’s a look at the rest of the deals that occurred on Monday and the fantasy fallout that goes along with each player:
The Marlins made a couple of big splashes on Monday as they look to position themselves for a serious run at the postseason. The most surprising move, was acquiring dynamic outfielder Starling Marte from the Diamondbacks in exchange for left-hander Caleb Smith, right-hander Humberto Mejia and a player to be named later.
Marte spent just one month with the Diamondbacks after being acquired by Arizona in the offseason. The 31-year-old was hitting .311/.384/.443 with two homers, five steals and 14 RBI over 33 games, and he should hit at the top of the lineup for the Marlins over this final month. It’s also very likely that Miami will pick up Marte’s $12.5 million club option for the 2021 season. His fantasy value should remain mostly static, as he gets a slight downgrade in home ballpark.
Smith hasn’t pitched since landing on the COVID-19 injured list in late July, though he could become a relevant fantasy option down the stretch if he’s able to return.
The Marlins also shipped Jonathan Villar out of town on Monday, dealing him to the Blue Jays in exchange for prospect Griffin Conine.
In addition to adding Starling Marte to their lineup, the Marlins also received word on Monday that Isan Diaz – who had previously opted out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns – has decided to rejoin the team. According to Craig Mish of SportsGrid, Diaz’ return was one of the deciding factors in the Marlins dealing Villar to the Blue Jays.
Villar should find himself in an everyday role with the Blue Jays – at least until Bo Bichette returns from the injured list. He’ll see a massive upgrade in the lineup around him – as well as his new home park in Buffalo. Villar still owns plenty of speed and a nice bit of power as well – and he’ll continue to be a much better fantasy option than a real world player. Villar is slashing .259/.315/.345 with two homers, nine RBI and nine stolen bases in 30 games this season.
Not only did the Blue Jays add Villar on Monday, they also made a pair of significant upgrades to their starting rotation, acquiring left-hander Robbie Ray from the Diamondbacks (for left-hander Travis Bergen) and right-hander Ross Stripling from the Dodgers (for two players to be named later).
Both hurlers have had extremely disappointing seasons in 2020 – and both are leaving the pitcher-friendly confines of the National League West and moving to the homer-happy ballparks in the American League East. For me, I see it as a definite downgrade to each of their fantasy outlooks for the remainder of the season.
As far as real world though, they both represent at least marginal upgrades to the Blue Jays’ rotation – and for a team that’s trying to scratch out every single win to latch on to one of the final playoff spots in the American League – these are exactly the types of moves that they should have made on Monday.
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The Athletics made a move to bolster their starting rotation on Monday, acquiring left-hander Mike Minor from the Rangers in exchange for two players to be named later and international slot compensation. Multiple outlets have reported that the two players to be named will be Marcus Smith and Drew Harris.
While Minor has been mostly ineffective this season, he was one of the better pitchers in the American League for the two years prior, so we’ll give him a pass for this year’s small sample size. What’s concerning to me, is the reasoning for the trade from the Athletics’ perspective. I have a sneaking suspicion that Frankie Montas isn’t fully healthy and may soon require a trip to the injured list. If that’s not the case, and the A’s simply wanted to add depth to their rotation, then Chris Bassitt may unfortunately wind up as the biggest loser in this trade as he could be bumped back to a long relief role despite his success as a starter this season.
The Reds made a nice addition to their bullpen on Monday, snagging closer Archie Bradley from the Diamondbacks in exchange for outfielder Stuart Fairchild and infielder/outfielder Josh VanMeter. Bradley’s fantasy value will now hinge on whether or not he takes over the ninth-inning gig in Cincinnati, or if he serves in a setup capacity in front of Raisel Iglesias instead. The biggest beneficiary of this deal – from a fantasy perspective – is Stefon Crichton who looks to be the favorite for save chances in Arizona with Bradley out of the picture. VanMeter possesses a bit of power and a bit of speed and could be intriguing if he finds his way into regular at-bats with the Diamondbacks.
The Reds also acquired Brian Goodwin from the Angels for minor league lefty Packy Naughton. He’ll be a useful platoon option in a crowded outfield situation in Cincinnati. It’s a definite downgrade from what little fantasy value he did have.
The Rockies made a small move on Monday, picking up outfielder Kevin Pillar from the Red Sox in exchange for a player to be named later and international slot money. The veteran outfielder owns a nice little combination of power and speed, but he’s unlikely to see enough playing time with the Rockies to be a factor in mixed leagues.
The Cubs landed outfielder Cameron Maybin from the Tigers for minor league infielder Zack Short. He’ll fill a reserve outfielder role for the Cubs – sapping him of the fantasy value that his regular playing time in Detroit had earned him.
The Cubs also picked up Josh Osich from the Red Sox for a player to be named as well as Andrew Chafin from the Diamondbacks for a player to be named or cash. They’ll add a pair of left-handed options to the Cubs’ bullpen.
The Phillies made yet another addition to their struggling bullpen on Monday, picking up David Phelps from the Brewers for three players to be named later. Phelps, who owns a 2.77 ERA and 20/2 K/BB ratio over 13 innings on the season, should join the setup crew in front of closer Brandon Workman.
The Mets acquired catcher Robinson Chirinos from the Rangers for a player to be named later. While he has been a disaster at the plate this season, he has been one of the most consistent offensive performers at the catcher position over the last few seasons. He’ll serve as the backup behind Wilson Ramos for the Mets – stripping him of any lingering fantasy value that he may have had in deep two-catcher leagues.
The Mets also added Todd Frazier from the Rangers for a player to be named. This one looks to be a significant hit to Frazier’s fantasy value. He was playing every day and hitting in the middle of the Rangers’ lineup. He’s likely to be relegated to a platoon role in his return to the Mets. The biggest winner in this trade may wind up being Ronald Guzman, who is cleared to take over as the Rangers’ everyday first baseman.
The Mets also snagged right-hander Miguel Castro from the Orioles in exchange for minor league left-hander Kevin Smith. Castro should work in the middle innings for the Mets, though his fantasy value will be minimal outside of leagues that count holds.
American League Quick Hits: Tuesday and Wednesday’s scheduled games between the Athletics and Mariners were postponed for precautionary reasons after a member of the Athletics tested positive for COVID-19. The Athletics are hoping to resume play against the Padres over the weekend. … Zach Plesac will return to the Indians’ starting rotation on Tuesday versus the Royals. … The Indians designated slumping outfielder Domingo Santana for assignment. … Ken Giles (forearm) is slated to throw about 20 pitches in live batting practice on Tuesday… Charlie Morton (shoulder) is set to return from the injured list to start against the Yankees on Wednesday. … Austin Meadows missed his second straight game on Monday with a sore oblique. He’s considered day-to-day for the time being, but oblique injuries tend to linger. … Yandy Diaz was pulled from Monday’s contest against the Yankees due to right hamstring tightness. He’s considered day-to-day. … White Sox manager Rick Renteria said Monday that he is optimistic Yoan Moncada (leg) will be ready to return within the next few days. … White Sox GM Rick Hahn revealed Monday that Aaron Bummer is dealing with a nerve issue near his left biceps. … The Rangers placed Rougned Odor on the 10-day injured list with an eye infection. … The Tigers claimed Dereck Rodriguez off of waivers from the Giants. … Dylan Moore (wrist) is expected to rejoin the Mariners on their upcoming homestand. ... David Fletcher said out Monday’s game with a sore ankle, but he’s expected to be ready to return on Wednesday. … Mariners manager Scott Servais said Monday that Ty France is expected to get “a ton of at-bats” with his new team. … The Royals placed Ian Kennedy on the injured list with a left calf strain. … The Orioles removed Cole Sulser from the closer’s role after his latest meltdown on Sunday.
Tyler Glasnow carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, ultimately striking out nine over six shutout frames in a victory over the Yankees. … Ji-Man Choi went 3-for-3 with a homer and a pair of walks to lead the charge for the Rays. … Diego Castillo worked a scoreless ninth to earn his third save. … Luke Voit clubbed his 13th home run in a losing effort for the Bombers. … Alex Verdugo went 3-for-4 with three doubles in a loss to the Braves. … Shane Bieber struck out nine over six scoreless innings of one-hit baseball, but was denied a victory when his bullpen couldn’t hang onto his lead. … Brad Keller fired 6 1/3 innings of one-run baseball in a no-decision there. … Greg Holland was the preferred option of Mike Matheny to work the ninth inning, successfully closing out the Indians. … Marco Gonzales struck out eight and allowed just one run in a complete game victory over the Angels. … Justin Upton went deep for the losing squad. … Chase Anderson struck out eight over five innings of one-run baseball in a no-decision against the Orioles. … Jose Iglesias went 2-for-5 including a run-scoring double in the 10th inning to lead the way to victory. … Keegan Akin allowed just two unearned runs while striking out six over 4 1/3 innings in his big league debut against the Blue Jays. … Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had three hits, a stolen base and an RBI for the Blue Jays in that one. … Lucas Giolito piled up eight strikeouts over five innings in a no-decision against the Twins. … Luis Robert crushed his 10th homer and delivered a game-winning RBI double to lead the White Sox. … Miguel Sano smashed his seventh homer in a losing effort there.
National League Quick Hits: Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Pirates will call up Ke’Bryan Hayes before Tuesday’s game against the Cubs. … Ronald Acuna was held out of Monday’s game with a hamstring issue. He’s considered day-to-day. … J.D. Davis sat out Monday’s game against the Marlins due to his hip injury. He’s considered day-to-day. … Jesse Winker received a one-game suspension for his role in the benches-clearing fracas with the Cubs from over the weekend. … The Pirates activated Colin Moran from the seven-day concussion injured list. … Kris Bryant (finger) could be activated from the injured list as early as Tuesday. … Rockies’ second baseman Brendan Rogers landed on the injured list with a right shoulder strain. … Nick Senzel (undisclosed) wrote on his personal Instagram page Monday that he will be “back on the field soon.” … Steven Matz is dealing with left shoulder bursitis, per Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen. ... The Phillies placed Scott Kingery on the injured list with a mid-back issue. … Avisail Garcia missed another game on Monday due to his ankle injury. He’s still expected to avoid the injured list. … Per Andy Martino of SNY, the Mets received calls on closer Edwin Diaz but informed clubs that he was not available.
Dakota Hudson struck out seven over seven innings of one-run baseball in a victory over the Reds. … Paul DeJong blasted a grand slam and stole a base to lead the Cardinals attack in that one. … Giovanny Gallegos struck out both batters he faced there to earn his second save of the year. … Eugenio Suarez swatted his eighth home run of the season in a losing effort there. … Juan Soto clobbered a pair of home runs as the Nationals fell to the Phillies. … Trea Turner went 4-for-5 with a homer and three runs scored there as well. … Spencer Howard picked up his first big league victory for the Phillies, limiting the Nats to two runs on five hits over five frames. … Max Fried improved to 6-0 on the season with a victory over the Red Sox. … Mark Melancon locked down his seventh save in that one. … Josh Hader struck out the side in the ninth inning against the Pirates to earn his eighth save of the season. … Keston Hiura crushed his eighth homer for the Brewers. … Erik Gonzalez smacked a two-run homer in a losing effort for the Pirates. … Jacob deGrom allowed just one earned run and struck out nine over six innings in a tough-luck loss to the Marlins. … Garrett Cooper and Brian Anderson left the yard for the Marlins in the victory. … Garrett Richards was pulled after 3 2/3 shutout innings against the Rockies at Coors Field. … Wil Myers smacked his ninth homer as the Padres were victorious there. … German Marquez struck out seven – but allowed five runs – over his six innings in a loss.
