Jake Arrieta might be what fixes the San Diego Padres
By Zach Houle
Jake Arrieta is still on the open market and could be what starts fixing the San Diego Padres.
After stunning just about everyone by signing Eric Hosmer to a giant deal, the San Diego Padres might be going back for seconds. Jake Arrieta is still looking for work, and the Padres reportedly have interest in bringing him out West.
It’s a tough sell; San Diego doesn’t have close to the money the Los Angeles Dodgers have (who are another big suitor for Arrieta).
To be clear, signing Arrieta wouldn’t all of a sudden make San Diego a World Series contender. The Padres have a great farm system, and it won’t be long before those prospects hit the major league scene. But they’ll need a few seasons to make everything work, and does Arrieta want to throw a few seasons away to be part of a rebuild? It’s understandable for Hosmer who is only 28-years old, but Arrieta is four years older.
He would, however, be getting a sizable deal and work most of his starts in a pitcher-friendly ballpark. It seems weird, but San Diego is a nice logical landing spot for Arrieta, especially when you pile on the low expectations he’d be dealing with during the front-end of his contract. Many have been skeptical about Arrieta’s abilities in recent seasons after having declining production after 2015, this is a chance to quell those fears.
If the right-hander signed with the Padres, the club would have a big three of Hosmer, Wil Myers, and Arrieta. That’s not bad, and will likely help sell tickets. With all rebuilding teams, there has been a trend of adding important veterans to augment the young core. Houston Astros are perfect examples of that, with things paying off with a World Series win. So, the Padres should make this deal happen. This would be a great thing for the fanbase, as it would show the front office is committed to winning in the near future.
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San Diego needs to open up the wallet for the second time this winter — it will be worth it. If the money’s right, Arrieta will most likely jump at it and from there it’s going to be a wild ride in seeing if things pan out.