Is there any hope for a turnaround in Ha-Sung Kim’s career?
The San Diego Padres are still in fourth place in the National League West with 49 wins and 54 losses, despite Kim’s recent Altoran-like performance at first base. They are 10 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the division, and their chances of making the postseason are fading.
After pulling off a blockbuster trade for Juan Soto in July of last year, there is a lot of speculation that the Padres will be trading away key players this year. Blake Snell, the ace of the starting rotation, and Josh Hader, the closer, are among the favorites.
MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, discussed the possibility of San Diego making a trade in its trade deadline rumors section on Monday, asking, “Will San Diego put Blake Snell and Josh Hader on the trade block?”
Snell and Hader are key resources on the San Diego mound. Snell has been an ace this year, going 7-8 with a 2.61 ERA in 114 innings pitched, while Hader has been an elite closer, going 1-24 with a 0.95 ERA in 40 appearances. Coincidentally, both pitchers are eligible for free agency after this season.먹튀검증
Snell is quickly becoming the most sought-after starting pitcher in the trade market, as the Los Angeles Angels acquired right-hander Lucas Giolito from the Chicago White Sox on July 27. “With the Angels removing Shohei Ohtani from the trade market and acquiring Giolito in a deal, the demand for Snell could be even greater,” according to MLB.com.
Bob Nightingale of USA Today reported, “Several teams that have spoken with the Padres in recent days believe Snell and Hader will be traded,” while Dennis Lynn of The Athletic wrote, “If the Padres don’t waive Snell this offseason, it’s possible they could trade only one of them. In that case, it’s more likely that Hader will be dealt.”
Right-hander Seth Lugo has emerged as another trade candidate. Lugo, who has started all 15 games this year and is 4-5 with a 3.62 ERA in 82 innings pitched, is also eligible for free agency at the end of the season. “Lugo is another candidate to leave San Diego,” MLB.com noted.