The San Diego Padres are running with OF Gavin Sheets at first base, but this trade would bring in a three-time Gold Glove-winning first baseman.
While the San Diego Padres already announced their plans for first base this season, that doesn’t mean the organization won’t consider making a trade to be better equipped at that position.
Especially when it comes to General Manger A.J. Preller, he is unpredictable and loves to make big moves, something that has been missing from the Padres this offseason. Preller said that the impending sale of the franchise isn’t the cause for the slow offseason, but I don’t think many people buy that (no pun intended).
Last week, first-year Manager Craig Stammen addressed the media regarding who will be playing first base for the team this season and he gave the nod to corner outfielder/designated hitter Gavin Sheets, who has played some first base in his career and coming up through the minor leagues.
Sheets is better defensively as a first baseman than he is as a corner outfielder, but he isn’t considered a great fielder by any means. He could be much better over a full season, but he is probably best suited as a DH.
Stammen mentioned that other infielders like second baseman Jake Cronenworth and infielder Sung-Mun Song will see some time over there as well, but Sheets is the guy going into spring training.
If the Padres aren’t comfortable with Sheets being the guy full-time, that could warrant a trade. ESPN’s David Schoenfield proposed a trade between the Padres and Houston Astros that would send Astros first baseman Christian Walker to San Diego in exchange for right-handed reliever Bradgley Rodriguez.
Walker, who is entering his age-35 season, had arguably his worst full season in his first with the Astros despite cranking 27 home runs and driving in 88 runs.
Schoenfield explained that although his OPS+ dropped 23 points from last season and his defense wasn’t as great as in years past, he won the Gold Glove in three consecutive seasons from 2022 to 2024 and has shown he has a ton of power.
Power at first base has long eluded the Padres, which is why this move would make sense for San Diego. For Houston, Rodriguez adds depth to a great bullpen and moving Walker sheds salary.
“Rodriguez is a big-league ready reliever who can help a Houston bullpen that is a little thin from the right side beyond Bryan Abreu, and while the Astros would have to pay down some of the $40 million owed to Walker the next two seasons, trading him would still clear some payroll to make another move,” Schoenfield wrote Friday.
The Padres didn’t seem to want to take on big salaries in free agency, so taking on Walker’s contract could scare them away from this move. Otherwise, taking a chance on a proven first baseman might play more in San Diego’s favor.