The San Diego Padres are dealing with financial troubles. San Diego has the third-highest payroll in baseball despite playing in a market slightly larger than Pittsburgh. Padres ownership has shown a willingness to spend, and A.J. Preller has done just that. Yet, the lack of results this season appear to have the Pads in a bit of a financial bind.
The Padres reportedly took out a $50 million loan, which isn't necessarily uncommon among MLB teams. Yet, those in the organization are concerned.
As Evan Drellich of The Athletic explained, "MLB teams commonly tap into lines of credit to pay their bills, prompting some officials in the sport to suggest any concern should be tempered because the Padres were ultimately creditworthy enough to draw the loan. But other officials briefed on the team's finances who were not authorized to speak publicly viewed the Padres' situation as worrisome."
San Diego has extended its financial reach beyond their actual means, which is a problem. Signing Xander Bogaerts last offseason, for one, felt like a bit of a stretch considering Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. were already on the roster.
If San Diego is open to trades or even letting players walk in order to save payroll, teams like the Atlanta Braves should be interested.
Atlanta Braves should out-bid Padres for Blake Snell
Blake Snell is in position to win the NL Cy Young, yet his value is understated. Jim Bowden of The Athletic ranked him behind even Jordan Montgomery in terms of a potential long-term contract. Yes, Snell will be costly, that much is obvious. He will pursue and receive a long-term deal.
Atlanta needs rotation depth, especially at the top. Max Fried could leave in free agency after this coming season. Kyle Wright is out for all of 2024. Charlie Morton is no guarantee to return. What's stopping Anthopoulos from bringing in a player like Snell to keep the rotation afloat?
Look, is a Snell signing likely? No, not really. Yet, if the Padres are out of the chase due to finances, then that gives Atlanta an even better chance at signing him. It's certainly worth a phone call.
If the Braves need bullpen help, Josh Hader is available
Josh Hader is one of the most consistent closers in baseball. Hader, a former Milwaukee Brewer, was traded to the Padres in hopes he would contribute to a postseason run. Hader is set to be a free agent and earn a multiyear deal that might be out of the Padres price range.
Alex Anthopoulos preached the need for bullpen help this offseason. Hader would be the top reliever available, if the Braves are willing to pay his asking price. With San Diego potentially out of the bidding, it makes the Braves interest all the more real. All that being said, FanSided's John Buhler sees some potential issues with bringing Hader in on a long-term deal.
"Overall, Hader is a five-time NL All-Star and three-time Hoffman winner still very much at the peak of his powers. However, he is barely on the good side of 30, meaning we could see a regression to his game due to arm trouble, fatigue or things of that nature. Where he goes in free agency will decide if Hader will ever be a World Series champion, possibly improving on his hall-of-fame-level trajectory," Buhler wrote.
There are some concerns with signing Hader to a long-term contract, but the positives could outweigh the negatives if he can be acquired for the right price. Only time will tell if he's the right option for Atlanta.
Could the Braves be an option for a Juan Soto trade?
This one is a bit farfetched given the prospect ammo it would take to acquire Juan Soto via trade, and the contract he would desire in just a year's time. Soto is one of the best young players in all of baseball, and could fill Atlanta's corner outfield hole for quite some time.
San Diego's financial issues make a Soto trade seem inevitable. I wrote about this dilemma on Wednesday in a previous article:
"Soto had already been floated in trade rumors prior to this report. Multiple teams are said to be interested, and that number will surely double at the Winter Meetings later this year. He's one of the best players in baseball for a reason. If San Diego does deal Soto in hopes of saving money, they will receive a king's ransom in return. This reporting merely makes that more obvious."
There would be plenty of competition for a Soto trade, and the asking price could be too high for Anthopoulos. The Braves have an elite team as currently constructed. However, if Anthopoulos is willing to pull the trigger, he could be the missing piece in the ATL.
