San Diego Padres

Former MLB catcher and San Diego police officer Dan Walters died Thursday at the age of 53, per the Associated Press. 

Walters was shot in the neck and hit by a car while on duty in 2003, which paralyzed him after suffering severe injuries to two cervical vertebrae. His death 17 years later came as a result of complications related to his injuries and is considered a line-of-duty fatality.

"Dan grew up locally, played professional baseball here in San Diego and proudly served his city as a police officer," the San Diego Police Department said in a statement. "He will forever be remembered by the members of this department."

The SDPD also provided a tribute to the former officer on its official Twitter account:

The Santana High School product was taken in the fifth round of the 1984 MLB draft by the Houston Astros. He was traded to the Padres four years later and finally reached the majors in 1992.

In two seasons with San Diego, Walters hit at a .234 clip with five home runs in 84 games.

He continued to play in the minors until suffering a spine injury in 1996. He joined the police department in 1998 following his retirement from baseball.

The San Diego Padres and free-agent infielder Brian Dozier reportedly agreed to a minor league deal Sunday.

Dozier's contract will be worth $2.2 million plus incentives, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Robert Murray of The Score reported the news of a deal.

Dozier, 32, spent the 2019 season with the Washington Nationals. He hit .238/.340/.430 with 20 home runs and 50 runs batted in for the World Series champs.

A 2015 All-Star, Dozier's production has fallen off the last two seasons. He went from being a 5.1-WAR player in 2017 with the Minnesota Twins to putting up a combined 2.6 WAR in 2018 and 2019, per FanGraphs. While the Padres are buying low on a player who still has some pop—a 1.7 WAR would typically result in something far better than a minor-league contract—Dozier only had six at bats during the Nationals' entire playoff run.

Dozier's late-season benching cooled his market to an extreme degree, and he'll now be competing just for a spot on the MLB club. 

If Dozier makes the roster, it will be as a utility infielder. The Padres already have their starting infield set, barring injury. Dozier can also act as Jurickson Profar insurance. It's worth noting that Dozier had a higher WAR than Profar (1.3) last season.

If Profar continues to struggle in his third MLB home, it's possible Dozier winds up taking over the second-base duties. Greg Garcia is also expected to receive playing time at second. 

The San Diego Padres remain interested in a trade for Mookie Betts and have reportedly developed a package to offer the Boston Red Sox, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The team plans to send Wil Myers plus two young major leaguers and one prospect in a potential deal for the All-Star. The options at the major league level include one outfielder between Manuel Margot and Josh Naylor and one starting pitcher between Cal Quantrill and Joey Lucchesi.

Still, the organization believes swinging this type of deal is only "marginally possible."

One holdup could be the money owed to Myers, with three years remaining on his contract at $22.5 million per season. The Red Sox are reportedly willing to take on half that salary but the Padres don't want to pay more than one-quarter of the remaining money, per Acee.

A bidding war between other teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, could also price the Padres out of the market.

The team has a lot to offer in a trade in addition to Myers, who has 87 home runs over the last four years. 

Lucchesi, 26, is the most proven player of the remaining options, producing a 4.18 ERA in 30 starts last year with 158 strikeouts in 163.2 innings. Quantrill, 24, was 6-8 with a 5.16 ERA while splitting time as a starter and reliever, but was highly touted in the minors. Margot, 25, is a plus-defender in center field, though he has struggled as a hitter while batting .234 last season. Naylor hit .249 with eight home runs in limited playing time last season.

San Diego also has one of the top farm systems in baseball with five players listed in the top 60 of MLB.com's rankings. 

Still, this might not be enough to match the star power of Betts, who at 27 years old already has an MVP award, four All-Star appearances and four Gold Glove awards. The right fielder is one of the best all around players in the sport and won't come cheap, even with just one year remaining on his contract.

The New Orleans Pelicans snapped the Denver Nuggets' seven-game winning streak, walking away with a 112-100 victory on Christmas Day at Pepsi Center.

New Orleans has won three of its last four games as well following a 13-game losing streak from the end of November through the middle of December.

The Pelicans were initially hopeful No. 1 overall draft pick Zion Williamson would be available to suit up against the Nuggets when he underwent knee surgery in October. However, president of basketball operations David Griffin said last week that Williamson is still "a ways away" from getting on the court.

New Orleans didn't need the former Duke star to enjoy a Merry Christmas.

Notable Performers

• Brandon Ingram, SF, Pelicans: 31 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals
• JJ Redick, SG, Pelicans: 15 points, three rebounds
• Jrue Holiday, PG, Pelicans: 20 points, eight assists, six steals, four rebounds
• Nikola Jokic, C, Nuggets: 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals
• Gary Harris, SG, Nuggets: 15 points, three rebounds, four steals, one assist
• Jerami Grant, PF, Nuggets: 17 points, two rebounds, one assist

Ingram Leads the Way to Close Out NBA's Christmas Slate

Crediting only Brandon Ingram for the result would be unfair because six Pelicans players scored in double figures and New Orleans owned a 52-40 edge on the boards. The visiting team was 18-of-43 from beyond the arc as well.

But whether he was creating offense for himself, hitting spot-up jumpers, or occupying the defense's attention to free up a teammate, Ingram was the Pelicans' best player.

Ingram enjoyed a career-best night from the perimeter, hitting seven of his nine three-point attempts. His ability to stretch the floor is the biggest reason for his massive jump in 2019-20.

JJ Redick almost single-handedly gave the Pelicans a 58-55 halftime lead. He scored 13 of New Orleans' final 15 points of the half, capping off his offensive outburst with a heave at the buzzer.

The Pelicans' momentum didn't fade as they headed to the locker room, either. They maintained their lead over the Nuggets heading into the final frame.

Redick's one-man show toward the end of the second quarter helped turn the tide in favor of New Orleans.

Jokic Continues Hot Run in Losing Effort

Nikola Jokic's weight will probably always be a point of discussion, the significance of which depends on how he's playing in that moment.

When he combined to shoot 7-of-23 for 20 points in back-to-back losses to the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers, the 24-year-old opened himself up to some extra criticism. That Lakers game was largely an anomaly in the month of December, however. He was averaging 21.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 8.1 assists entering the night.

Playing against the inexperienced Jaxson Hayes and defensively unreliable Jahlil Okafor helped Jokic on Wednesday.

In general, though, Denver simply couldn't string enough quality possessions together to overtake the Pelicans in the second half. The Nuggets continued knocking on the door but would either have a lapse on defense or a poor shot attempt on the other end.

This is undoubtedly a game head coach Mike Malone will wish he could have back.

What's Next?

The Pelicans host the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. The Nuggets remain at home Saturday for a matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies.

San Diego Padres second baseman Ian Kinsler announced Friday he's decided to retire from MLB and will accept a position in the club's front office. 

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the news and noted Kinsler is going to reach a "financial settlement" with the Padres to settle the $4.25 million remaining on his two-year, $8 million contract.

"It just felt like this is the end, time to move on," Kinsler said. "I gave it everything I had. It's time to do something else."

The 37-year-old Arizona native was one of the American League's best second basemen across stints with the Texas Rangers (2006-13) and Detroit Tigers (2014-17). He ranked fourth at the position in WAR (45.7) across that 12-year period, per FanGraphs.

Kinsler joined the Boston Red Sox in a midseason trade from the Los Angeles Angels in 2018 and went on to help the club win the World Series.

His individual production declined, however, as he finished the 2018 campaign with a .681 OPS. That was a career-worst figure until he posted a .646 OPS for San Diego in 87 appearances this season.

Kinsler said a herniated cervical disk that brought his season to a premature end in August played a key role in his retirement decision.

"To be honest, it was a factor in my decision," he told Rosenthal. "My pride wouldn't let me go halfway at something that I've been doing at 100 percent for my whole baseball life."

In turn, he finishes his playing career one hit shy of 2,000 to go along with 257 home runs and 243 stolen bases. His accolades include four All-Star selections and two Gold Glove Awards.

Kinsler told The Athletic getting a chance to remain in the sport to help the next generation of players is a "dream" and one he'd discussed with Padres general manager A.J. Preller before signing with the club.

The San Diego Padres have acquired second baseman Jurickson Profar in exchange for catcher Austin Allen in a trade with the Oakland Athletics.

Baseball journalist Robert Murray first reported the deal.

This will be the second time in as many years Profar has been traded after going from the Texas Rangers to Oakland as part of a three-team deal last December.

In his lone season with the Athletics, the 26-year-old hit .218 with 20 home runs, nine stolen bases and 24 doubles in 139 games.

Profar had high expectations early in his career, considered by many to be the No. 1 prospect in baseball in 2013.

However, injuries and inconsistent play prevented him from playing more than 90 games in a season at the majors until 2018. He showcased some of his skill set that year with a .254 average and .458 slugging percentage while spending time at all four infield positions.

It appears he found a home defensively at second base last season, but he struggled more at the plate and has failed to live up to his potential.

A third team will now take a chance on Profar's talent, with Padres general manager A.J. Preller especially a fan:

Ian Kinsler is under contract through 2020 for San Diego, but Profar can be an upgrade over the veteran or Greg Garcia and add to an exciting infield that also features Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr.

The San Diego Padres reportedly traded infielder Luis Urias and starting pitcher Eric Lauer to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday for outfielder Trent Grisham and starting pitcher Zach Davies, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

It's been a busy day for the Padres, who also reportedly signed reliever Drew Pomeranz, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Urias, 22, was a highly regarded prospect in San Diego's farm system but has struggled in the big leagues, hitting .221 with six homers, 29 RBI and 32 runs in 83 games across the past two seasons. According to Passan, Urias is expected to play shortstop for the Brewers. In San Diego, that position is filled by Fernando Tatis Jr.

It's a good get for the Brewers, who addressed a position of need with a young player who has serious upside.

But they also landed the 24-year-old Lauer, who is 14-17 with a 4.40 ERA in 53 games (52 starts) in the past two seasons.

As for the Padres, they acquired the 23-year-old Grisham for the outfield. He hit .231 with six homers, 24 RBI and 24 runs in 51 games for the Brewers last season. More importantly, he hit .300 with 26 homers and 71 RBI in 97 minor league games last year across Double-A and Triple-A.

As for the 26-year-old Davies, he was 10-7 this past season with a career-best 3.55 ERA along with a 1.29 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 159.2 innings (31 starts). Davies has been a nice bottom-of-the-rotation starter in his five seasons with the Brewers. 

For both teams, the deal was an exchange of highly regarded prospects at positions of depth. Urias will be expected to be a fixture in the middle of Milwaukee's infield for years, while Grisham joins an outfield fray that includes Hunter Renfroe, Wil Myers, Manuel Margot and Franchy Cordero.

The San Diego Padres could be targeting a long-time division rival in free agency. 

The team reportedly has interest in former San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner and representatives from the two sides are set to meet at the general manager meetings, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Heyman also noted the squad has been "connected" to Stephen Strasburg.

Strasburg would be an ideal fit for the Padres as a San Diego native coming off a World Series MVP campaign with the Washington Nationals. However, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune recently reported the team "will not be in the market" for him if the price remains high.

Bumgarner could come at a more reasonable price after producing a career-low 3.90 ERA last season after a pair of injury-filled seasons.

Of course, the 30-year-old remains an elite option in free agency thanks to his career 3.13 ERA across 11 seasons while earning four All-Star selections. He has been especially dominant in the playoffs with an 8-3 record and 2.11 ERA in 16 appearances, helping the Giants win three World Series titles.

He was named NLCS MVP and WS MVP during the 2014 title run. 

The left-hander has also been mostly durable in his career with over 200 innings in seven of the last nine years. His 34 starts in 2019 showed that he was past his injury troubles from 2017 and 2018.

His addition would be huge for a San Diego staff that ranked 12th in the National League with a 4.60 ERA and had 16 different players start a game. 

With 17 career starts already at Petco Park, Bumgarner could feel right at home.

Although the San Diego Padres were big spenders last offseason, they reportedly won't break the bank for either Stephen Strasburg or Gerrit Cole, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Strasburg would seemingly be a top target as a San Diego native and reigning World Series MVP, but he is reportedly seeking about $30-34 million per year for at least six seasons. If these numbers hold up, the Padres "will not be in the market" for the talented starter, per Acee.

The 31-year-old, who went to West Hills High School in Santee, California, before heading to San Diego State, appears perfect on paper for a Padres squad that is loaded with hitting talent but struggled with inconsistency in the rotation.

Strasburg is coming off one of the best seasons of his career while going 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.038 WHIP. He led the National League with 209 innings pitched while setting a career high with 251 strikeouts.

Only one San Diego player, Joey Lucchesi, topped 150 innings this season while 16 different players made at least one start. The 4.60 ERA as a team ranked 12th in the National League. 

The organization also showed a willingness to hand out big contracts last year when it signed Manny Machado to a 10-year, $300 million deal. One year earlier, Eric Hosmer signed an eight-year, $144 million deal.

However, it seems the squad is drawing the line when it comes to Strasburg, as well as Cole, in its offseason plans for 2020.