Deadline notes: Padres in the mix for ace?
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The Padres pursued Joey Gallo on the trade market before he was dealt to the Yankees. San Diego general manager A.J. Preller has known Gallo personally for almost a decade, and Preller has proven that he’s always looking for ways to upgrade the team’s roster.
For now, Preller’s focus is on the starting rotation, and for good reason: Four San Diego starters -- Blake Snell, Joe Musgrove, Chris Paddack, and Yu Darvish -- have ERAs of 6.00 or higher over the past month.
Accordingly, the Padres have spoken with the Nationals about Max Scherzer and the Twins about José Berríos, sources say.
Even though Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young Award winner and future Hall of Famer, Berríos may have greater value on the trade market. The explanation: Berríos won’t be eligible for free agency until after 2022, while Scherzer’s contract expires after this season.
For Berríos, the Twins hope to acquire a prospect group headlined by a high-ceiling starting pitcher. In talks with the Padres, that likely means one of Ryan Weathers, Adrian Morejon, or MacKenzie Gore. However, the Padres’ system is so deep that the Twins could accept a prospect package that doesn’t include one of the three.
The Mariners are showing interest in Berríos as well. In any deal with Seattle, sources say the Twins are expected to request Emerson Hancock or George Kirby, both ranked on the Top 100 Prospects list by MLBPipeline.
Meanwhile, Dodgers right-handed pitching prospect Ryan Pepiot has been mentioned in L.A.'s trade discussions for Scherzer and Berríos. Pepiot, a third-round pick from Butler in the 2019 MLB Draft, has a 2.87 ERA over 59 2/3 innings this season at Double-A Tulsa.
Rockies a seller to watch
With 24 hours before Friday’s 4 p.m. ET Trade Deadline, the Rockies held two of the most coveted rental players, shortstop Trevor Story and right-hander Jon Gray.
Gray has drawn interest from the Giants, Padres and Phillies, among other teams. The 29-year-old right-hander is having his best Major League season, with a career-low 1.22 WHIP.
The Giants also have shown interest in Story, raising the possibility of San Francisco acquiring both players in a single deal.
By contrast, the Rockies don’t expect to trade left-hander Kyle Freeland, who is in the midst of a renaissance. Freeland, who won’t be a free agent until after the 2023 season, has a 2.06 ERA over his last six outings and has a more diverse repertoire of pitches than when he finished fourth in National League Cy Young Award voting in 2018.
Dodgers active on many fronts
The Dodgers have spoken with the Cubs about Kris Bryant, and their interest extends to one of Bryant’s teammates: closer Craig Kimbrel, an ideal fit for the Los Angeles bullpen -- this year and next.
Kimbrel (371) is the only active reliever ahead of Kenley Jansen (334) on the all-time saves list. Kimbrel has been so dominant this season -- 0.49 ERA and 0.709 WHIP -- that he’d be the unquestioned closer on any team in the Majors, including the Dodgers.
And with Jansen heading to free agency after this year, the Dodgers can pick up Kimbrel’s option and secure him as their 2022 closer -- thus avoiding the expense of pursuing a free agent to fill the role.
Around the Majors
• The White Sox are all but assured of winning the American League Central but are working to make acquisitions beyond Thursday’s trade for second baseman César Hernández. The White Sox have checked on Pirates right-hander Richard Rodríguez and Orioles left-hander Paul Fry, among other bullpen options.
• While Hernández was moved Thursday, we shouldn’t assume the same will happen with his now-former teammate José Ramírez. While Cleveland hasn’t completely ruled out a Ramírez trade before Friday’s Deadline, his price tag is so high that talks haven’t gained traction this week.
Jon Paul Morosi is a reporter for MLB.com and MLB Network.