Are Padres the team to beat after trading for All-Star Adam Frazier?
The San Diego Padres made the biggest splash of the regular season thus far, trading for Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star Adam Frazier on Sunday.
If you didn’t know the Padres were going all-in for a shot at the World Series this season, now you know.
San Diego headlined last offseason’s trade market and they’ve snagged one of the biggest prizes less than five days before the deadline by trading for Pirates All-Star Adam Frazier, as reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The San Diego Padres are acquiring second baseman/outfielder Adam Frazier from the Pittsburgh Pirates, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 25, 2021
Frazier, 29, leads baseball in hits this year and is not a free agent until after the 2022 season. One of the best bats on the trade market.
Frazier has been among the best hitters in the majors, slashing .327/.392/.453 with four home runs, 32 RBIs, and an MLB-leading 125 hits in 424 plate appearances. You won’t find many hitters that command a strike zone better than Frazier. His 10.6 strikeout percentage is less than half of the major-league average (22.3%).
The 29-year-old is no slouch defensively either, usually manned at second base for the Pirates but he’s also made 158 appearances across all three outfield spots in six MLB seasons. His defensive versatility should make for use in a super-utility role for the Padres, similar to former big-leaguer Ben Zobrist in his prime.
Adding to his value is his team-friendly $4.3 million salary in 2021, and final season of arbitration eligibility before becoming a free agent for 2023.
Pending medical reviews, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports the Padres will send the No.5 ranked prospect in their system, infielder Tucupita Marcano, along with unranked outfielder Jack Suwinksi and pitcher Mitchell Miliano in exchange for Frazier and cash considerations.
Marcano, 21, is an infielder who has a .485 OPS in 50 plate appearances with the Padres this season but an .811 OPS at Triple A. Suwinski, 22, is an outfielder batting .269 with a .949 OPS at Double A. https://t.co/G9QvRT1Agt
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 25, 2021
Are the Padres the team to beat after trading for Adam Frazier?
Offensively Frazier slots in perfectly with a Padres team that has the sixth-fewest strikeouts in the National League this season.
He’ll likely take over the Padres’ leadoff spot which would be an upgrade over the combination of outfielders Tommy Pham and Trent Grisham who have both been the leadoff men for San Diego a majority of this season. Pham has fared well for the most part with a .273 batting average .836 OPS in 48 games when batting leadoff, but Frazier’s .330 BA and .851 OPS in 90 games as the leadoff man will give this team another offensive weapon.
Adding Frazier will give the Padres an offensive boost, and he’s the type of player that will provide plenty of run-scoring opportunities for others in the lineup if he continues his rapid offensive pace.
San Diego (58-44) still has a healthy ways to go to catch the first-place Giants (5 GB), and the Padres currently sit in the second NL Wild Card spot, three games behind the Dodgers and 5.5 games ahead of the Reds.
Time will tell how much of an impact a trade like this will have, but on paper the Padres have made the most-impactful trade of the regular season so far.
Team President A.j. Preller has made it clear this team is going for it all, so don’t be surprised if they make another move before July 30.
Next. This NL East team is in pursuit of Kimbrel. dark