San Diego Padres

After reportedly completing a three-team trade to acquire former Pittsburgh Pirates righty Joe Musgrove, the San Diego Padres aren't done making moves this offseason. 

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Padres are still attempting to re-sign infielder/outfielder Jurickson Profar, who spent 2020 with them after he was acquired in a trade with the Oakland Athletics.

In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Profar hit .278/.343/.428 with seven home runs and 25 RBI for San Diego. 

The Padres could be in need of Profar after sending "a large package of prospects" to the Pirates in the trade that landed Musgrove, as the deal is believed to include center fielder Hudson Head, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Prior to joining the Padres, Profar spent 2019 with Oakland, where he crossed the plate 65 times and brought in 67 runs, a year after he posted career-best statistics in his final year with the Texas Rangers. In 2018, his fifth and final season in Arlington, Profar hit .254/.335/.458 with 82 runs and 77 RBI. 

Once considered the No. 1 prospect league-wide, Profar has had an average career, with a .238 batting average across 1,796 at-bats. 

In December, Passan reported that the Kansas City Royals were also interested in Profar. Wherever he ends up, his youth (just 28 years old) and versatility as a switch-hitter and utility man will make him a solider  addition. 

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash made a controversial decision in Game 6 of the 2020 World Series that affected more than the contest's outcome.

With the Rays down in the series 3-2, starting pitcher Blake Snell was dealing, having given up just two hits while fanning nine and walking none through 73 pitches. With one out, one on and a 1-0 lead for the Rays, Cash went to the mound. Snell's night was over.

The Rays looked to Nick Anderson in relief, and he gave up a double to Mookie Betts and then gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead via a wild pitch and a fielder's choice. The Dodgers went on to win the World Series.

Snell said he "saw both sides" in his postgame interview in October, but in an interview with The Ringer's R2C2 podcast, he shed more light on his mindset following Cash's decision.

"I was lost," Snell said (at the 2:30 mark). "I didn't know what to say, what to do. I just remember I called my dad when I got to the hotel. We talked for a minute, and I didn't really say much. I didn't have nothing to say. I was like, 'We really just handed them the World Series.' That's how it felt."

The 2018 American League Cy Young Award winner will suit up for the San Diego Padres after a late-December trade to the National League. Perhaps he'll get a chance to square off against his old manager in this year's Fall Classic. 

The San Diego Padres have been one of the most aggressive teams in the majors this offseason and don't appear to be slowing down.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Padres are "doing background work on multiple free-agent starting pitchers," with former New York Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka considered an option for the team.

The move would help further strengthen the rotation even after trading for Blake Snell and Yu Darvish earlier this offseason.

The Padres have high expectations in 2021 after going 37-23 last season, although the pitching staff still needs help with Mike Clevinger undergoing Tommy John surgery that will cost him all of 2021. Rosenthal also speculated there could be concerns about the health of Dinelson Lamet, who missed the postseason with biceps tendinitis.

It could leave an opening for a pitcher like Tanaka, who is coming off a solid 2020 campaign with a 3.56 ERA in 10 starts for the Yankees. The 32-year-old added 44 strikeouts with only eight walks in 48 innings, creating the second-best strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.50) of his seven-year MLB career.

The two-time All-Star could also bring valuable postseason experience to the roster with a 3.33 career ERA across eight series.

While the production would be enough for the Padres to have interest, the personal connections could help bring Tanaka aboard.

Rosenthal noted the right-hander is friends with the newly acquired Darvish, while pitching coach Larry Rothschild spent six years alongside Tanaka with the Yankees before he joined San Diego in 2020.

It could be a perfect fit for the Padres as they seek another reliable option on the mound.

San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. could reportedly command a 10-year contract extension worth in the range of $210 million to $230 million. 

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Tuesday it's a possible middle ground as Tatis tries to decide between a shorter deal that would allow him a chance at free agency in his prime or a longer agreement, potentially 15 years, that could make him a "Padre for life."

Tatis' career is off to a tremendous start. He's played about one season worth of games between his 2019 rookie year and the coronavirus-shortened 2020 campaign, and his numbers are among the National League's best.

The 22-year-old Dominican Republic native has posted a .301/.374/.582 triple-slash line with 39 home runs and 27 stolen bases across 143 appearances. His .956 OPS over that span would rank ninth among all MLB hitters if he had enough at-bats to qualify, per FanGraphs.

He's under team control through 2024 via arbitration, but teams have showed a willingness to sign budding superstars to extensions early in exchange for pushing back their free-agency timeline.

In 2019, the Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. became the youngest player to sign a $100 million extension at age 21. He could have become a free agent in 2024 but is instead now linked to the Braves through at least 2026 with club options for two additional years.

Padres general manager A.J. Preller said in October there was interest from both sides to at least start looking at an extension for Tatis before the 2021 season.

"It was just such a short season and such a sprint to the finish line that I don't think there was a lot in the middle of all of that for trying to put a contract negotiation in there," Preller told reporters. "We'll start to look more seriously at that here this offseason, and it sounds like there's interest on both sides, so we'll see where that goes."

With or without a new deal, Tatis will once again take on a prominent role in the heart of the Padres' order alongside Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers in 2021.

San Diego will enter the season with championship-level expectations after the offseason additions of starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Blake Snell to a roster that ranked third in MLB with a 37-23 record in 2020.

Fernando Tatis Jr. and the San Diego Padres are working on a contract extension that could reach 10 years and more than $300 million, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. 

The 22-year-old is eligible for arbitration for the next three seasons and isn't scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent until 2025. 

Any deal within the range of the $300-plus million report would make Tatis Jr. the highest-paid active shortstop and at least border on the largest deal for a shortstop in MLB history. 

The Texas Rangers' Elvis Andrus' carries an eight-year, $120 million deal, which is tied for the lead at the position. The Boston Red Sox gave Xander Bogaerts $120 million as well over six years. Alex Rodriguez holds the record for the largest shortstop pact at 10 years, $275 million, signed at age 32. That contract with the New York Yankees broke Rodriguez's own record of 10 years, $252 million he signed with the Texas Rangers in 2000. 

Only six active MLB players have a contract worth $300 million or more—Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper, Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole and Manny Machado—with Trout leading the league in contract value with a 12-year, $426.5 million deal. 

There's little question whether Tatis is worth that type of money.

Already one of the most electric players in the majors, Tatis slashed .277/.366/.571 with 17 home runs and 45 RBI in 59 games last year. It was just his second season in the majors, and he earned a Silver Slugger and finished fourth in NL MVP voting. 

As the Padres' championship window opens wide, the club is reportedly working to make sure one of the best players in baseball remains in San Diego for at least another decade. 

The San Diego Padres are hoping to keep Fernando Tatis Jr. around. 

Padres general manager A.J. Preller appeared on MLB Network Radio and said that the team would have conversations "behind closed doors" in hopes that both sides would end up "on common ground to work something out at some point before the season." 

The 22-year-old will be arbitration-eligible after the upcoming season and remains under Padres control until he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2025. 

In October, Preller said the abridged season—not a lack of interest—contributed to an extension not occurring during the season for the shortstop. 

"We'll start to look more seriously at that here this offseason, and it sounds like there's interest on both sides, so we'll see where that goes," he told reporters. 

Tatis earned a Silver Slugger and finished fourth in National League MVP voting this season, when he tallied a .277/.366/.571 slash line with 17 home runs, 45 RBI, 11 doubles and 11 stolen bases in 59 games. 

The Dominican Republic native led the team to a postseason berth for the first time in 14 years before San Diego was eliminated in the NLDS by the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. 

In 2019, Tatis finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting behind New York Mets star Pete Alonso and Atlanta Braves starter Mike Soroka. In 84 games, Tatis blasted 22 home runs and 13 doubles with 16 steals and 53 RBI while slashing .317/.379/.590.

Tatis is the centerpiece of what he referred to as "a special group," and if the team is able to keep him around, they will continue to see similar levels of success to what they reaped in the 2020 season. 

The San Diego Padres are all-in on the 2021 season.

On Monday, Sahadev Sharma, Dennis Lin and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported the Padres are acquiring pitcher Yu Darvish and catcher Victor Caratini from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pitcher Zach Davies and prospects Reginald Preciado, Owen Caissie, Yeison Santana and Ismael Mena.

The stunning move comes on the heels of another marquee trade involving a household name at pitcher.

Lin, Josh Tolentino and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Sunday that San Diego traded for pitcher Blake Snell, sending the Tampa Bay Rays Luis Patino, Francisco Mejia, Blake Hunt and Cole Wilcox.

The additions of Darvish and Snell means the Padres will have one of the best starting rotations in all of baseball:

• Yu Darvish
• Blake Snell
• Dinelson Lamet
• Chris Paddack
• MacKenzie Gore/Joey Lucchesi/Adrian Morejon/Ryan Weathers

What's more, they will have Mike Clevinger available in 2022 even though he will miss the 2021 campaign because of Tommy John surgery. Adding him to that group will make San Diego even better over the course of the next couple of seasons, which is surely concerning to the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

San Diego has won just one playoff series since it reached the World Series in 1998 but has the pieces in place to change that with Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado leading the offense and Snell and Darvish spearheading the rotation.

Snell was the 2018 American League Cy Young Award winner who helped lead the Rays to last year's World Series, while Darvish was a Cy Young contender last season who helped lead the Cubs to a National League Central title.

Darvish finished the 2020 campaign with a 2.01 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 76 innings.

If he comes anywhere close to that in 2021, the Padres will be on the short list of championship contenders.

The San Diego Padres may not be done acquiring All-Star pitchers, with Yu Darvish reportedly on their radar. 

Per Dennis Lin, Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, the Padres are "deep into talks" with the Chicago Cubs about Darvish that would include "multiple players" going to Chicago if the deal gets done.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported there is "growing optimism" the Padres will finalize a deal for Darvish "as soon as today." Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported the Padres had agreed to the price the Cubs were asking for Darvish. 

Coming off their first playoff appearance since 2006, San Diego's front office is being aggressive in trying to maximize its roster's championship window.

Lin, Josh Tolentino and Ken Rosenthal reported Sunday night that the Padres have an agreement in place to acquire 2018 American League Cy Young winner Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays for Luis Patino, Francisco Mejia, Blake Hunt and Cole Wilcox. 

MLB.com's Jon Heyman noted that San Diego isn't among the teams on Darvish's 12-team no-trade clause on his contract, meaning the Cubs can deal him without needing his approval. 

The Cubs are among many teams in Major League Baseball that appear to be in cost-cutting mode this offseason. Kyle Schwarber was non-tendered a contract as he was heading into his final year of arbitration.

ESPN's Buster Olney reported in November that Chicago was willing "to move almost any veteran—as well as just about anyone from the core group of position players who won the 2016 World Series, including shortstop Javier Baez."

Darvish's $22 million salary in 2021 is projected to be the highest on the Cubs roster. The right-hander finished second in National League Cy Young voting last season. He went 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 76 innings. 

The dead of Major League Baseball's winter has been broken, courtesy of the San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays.

Late on Sunday night, those two clubs came together on a five-player trade that will send 2018 American League Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell to San Diego. 

In doing so, the Padres sent a warning shot across the bows of their competition in the National League West, including the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Meanwhile in the American League East, the Rays' rivals ought to be smelling blood in the water.

The Trade

Padres get:

• LHP Blake Snell: 28 years old and signed through 2023 for $40.8 million

Rays get:

• RHP Luis Patino: 21 years old and MLB.com's No. 23 prospect
• C Francisco Mejia: 25 years old and formerly a top-100 prospect
• RHP Cole Wilcox: 21 years old and formerly San Diego's No. 7 prospect
• C Blake Hunt: 22 years old and formerly San Diego's No. 14 prospect

What Snell Brings to the Padres

Even after losing Mike Clevinger (Tommy John surgery) for the 2021 season, the Padres had a darn good foursome of starters lined up in Dinelson Lamet, Zach Davies, Chris Paddack and Adrian Morejon.

In Snell, they now have a new No. 1 to round out their rotation.

He's only two years removed from breaking out as an ace with a 1.89 ERA, 221 strikeouts and 112 hits allowed in 180.2 innings. Even in "regressing" over the last two years, he's still posted a sturdy 3.96 ERA while whiffing 12 batters per nine innings.

Snell thrives on electric stuff, including a four-seam fastball that averages 95.1 mph with rising action. He also boasts two nasty breaking balls in his slider and curveball, which combined to hold opposing hitters to an .088 average in 2020.

The catch with Snell is that he has yet to prove himself as a workhorse. He's averaged only 5.1 innings per start for his career, and he has logged at least seven innings only 13 times out of his 108 total outings.

Yet that could change now that Snell is no longer on the Rays, who've generally demanded few innings from their starters since 2018. Especially after he prematurely got the hook in Game 6 of the World Series, Snell himself might be coming to San Diego with a chip on his shoulder regarding his future workload.

If the Padres lengthen his leash accordingly, there will be little keeping him from contending for additional Cy Youngs.

What the Snell Trade Means for the Dodgers and the NL West

The Padres were tied atop the NL West as of August 1, but they never seriously challenged for first place after that, as the Dodgers racked up an MLB-best 43-17 record. Of course, the Dodgers also swept the Padres in the National League Division Series.

Yet the actual talent gap between the Dodgers and Padres was never that wide this past season.

Beyond going 37-23 in their own right, the Padres had an even better expected record based on how many runs they scored and allowed. Led by Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., they were an elite team offensively (third in OPS+) and defensively (first in outs above average). Likewise, their hurlers ranked seventh in ERA and fifth in strikeouts per nine innings.

With Snell now aboard and uber-prospect MacKenzie Gore slated to join a homegrown core that already includes Paddack and Tatis at some point in 2021, the Padres look ready to retain their place among MLB's leading contenders next season.

While the Dodgers also have a spot in those ranks, they now face pressure to do something to maintain the buffer that existed between them and the Padres in 2020. 

Apart from their trade for one-time All-Star closer Corey Knebel, the Dodgers have done nothing to strengthen their roster for 2021. That's a problem, given that their list of free agents includes hitters Justin Turner, Joc Pederson and Enrique Hernandez and relievers Blake Treinen, Jake McGee and Pedro Baez.

Elsewhere in the NL West, none of the San Francisco Giants (29-31), Colorado Rockies (26-34) or Arizona Diamondbacks (25-35) finished above .500 in 2020. And right now, each of the three might be wary of committing resources to changing that next season.

The Giants could, but they look like more of a threat to spend big money next winter after their books clear up. The Diamondbacks seem content to bet on what they already have in-house, while the Rockies may well begin a rebuild with trades of Nolan Arenado and/or Trevor Story.

This is to say that the NL West will likely be a two-horse race between the Padres and Dodgers once again in 2021. And because Snell is sticking around through at least 2023, that may be the case for a while.

The Rays Just Opened Up the AL East

Despite beginning the season with MLB's third-lowest payroll, the Rays paced the American League with a 40-20 record in 2020. Their pitching, which yielded MLB's third-lowest ERA, was the driving force behind their success.

It's precisely because of Tampa Bay's budgetary limitations that Snell will be pitching for San Diego from now on. These limitations also contributed to fellow starter Charlie Morton signing with Atlanta.

The sting of these losses is undeniable. For while Patino and free-agent signee Michael Wacha are candidates to fill the voids left by Snell and Morton in 2021, the former has yet to establish himself, and it's been years since the latter resembled a top-of-the-rotation starter.

After finishing behind the Rays in 2020, the New York Yankees (33-27) and Toronto Blue Jays (32-28) should take note. With the right moves, either or both could leapfrog the Rays in the AL East's power structure.

Heck, even the Boston Red Sox might be able to do so despite their 24-36 finish in 2020. Combined with potential comebacks from J.D. Martinez, Eduardo Rodriguez and Chris Sale, they might have a path to the top of the AL East in 2021 if they address their needs at center field, second base and on the mound.

The bright side amid all this for the Rays is that their farm system, which was arguably the best in baseball to begin with, is now even deeper after the Snell trade. But since the benefits of that will more likely be felt later than sooner, their glory days of 2020 could become ancient history in a hurry.

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.