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Twitter has come alive with Padres rumors. The team now appears to be basically shopping all their soon to be free agents, their relievers, their starters and everyone else too. It seems that A.J. Preller and the Padres are being just aggressive as sellers as they were as buyers in the offseason. This is a good thing, they need to retool at least and more than likely rebuild altogether.
Late last week it was rumored that James Shields might be flipped quickly after signing his 3 year contract earlier in the year. The problem is that scouts have seen some regression and that means the Padres may have to pay a good portion of his contract as part of a possible trade.
#Padres still working to trade James Shields. But one exec says they'd have to "eat a ton" of the $65M left on his deal after this year
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 25, 2015
Tyson Ross, who in my estimation is the most valuable piece that the Padres have to trade, is gathering strong interest from opposing general managers. One in particular is Preller's former boss Jon Daniels in Texas.
While Jon Daniels didn't address Cole Hamels, sources say #Rangers talking to Phillies. Also talked to Padres on Andrew Casher, Tyson Ross.
— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilson_FWST) July 26, 2015
Ken Rosenthal suggests that one way to get rid of unwanted contracts is to put them in a package deal with coveted players like Ross. This is the first that I've heard that the Padres want to dump Jedd Gyorko and his contract onto another team. Now that I hear it, it doesn't surprise me as much as I thought it would.
Another high-priced player #Padres are shopping hard, per sources: 2B Jedd Gyorko. Owed $32M from 2016 to ’19, plus $1M buyout.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 27, 2015
The Padres have shown very little patience with Gyorko this year and seem to want to go in a different direction at second base. If the Padres bundle them together they'll dump payroll but won't get much talent in return.
One way for #Padres to move Gyorko would be to attach him to a more desirable talent such as T. Ross. That, however, would diminish return.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 27, 2015
Preller may be experiencing some regret about trading their star prospect Trea Turner in his flurry of moves last winter. This is kind of like breaking up with your significant other and then trying to win them back by a really stupid and pointless gesture. Jon Heyman says now he's trying to get him back by dealing the Nationals closer Craig Kimbrel. The Nationals say there's no chance, much as you'd suspect.
Nationals, Blue Jays looking at Kimbrel; Trea Turner sought by SD - CBSSports.com
The Padres, in fact, suggested a return of shortstop Trea Turner in a potential package back from the Nats, according to sources, though word is the chances of that happening are somewhere between slim and none. Washington, which acquired Turned from San Diego in the three-way Wil Myers trade, sees Turner as its shortstop of the future with Ian Desmond a free agent after the year. San Diego has been seeking a starting-calibre shortstop.
Lots more rumors probably on the way as the Friday deadline approaches.