MLB rumors: 5 favorites to trade for Willson Contreras
By Tim Boyle
2) MLB rumors: San Diego Padres should toss their hat in the ring for Willson Contreras
One team to never disregard in any trade talk, the San Diego Padres are one of the league’s most aggressive when it comes to transactions. Contreras could be someone they view as not only an upgrade behind the dish but also as a DH candidate.
The Padres do have a little more wiggle room than the Mets in this regard. Austin Nola has minor-league options and Jorge Alfaro could be a DFA candidate if he struggles. Because of the team’s early success with their pitching staff, it might be a tough decision to make yet one to consider strictly for his stick.
Back when Contreras and current Padres pitcher Yu Darvish were teammates, the two did not work particularly well together. Victor Caratini caught all of Darvish’s games in 2020 when he finished second in the Cy Young. In 2019, Darvish had a 6.00 ERA with Contreras behind the plate and a 3.29 ERA with Caratini. This would probably mean Contreras doesn’t put on the chest protector whenever Darvish starts.
This shouldn’t stop the Padres from kicking the tires on a deal. Zero offense from the catcher position is not a good thing to have. And, just to reiterate it one more time, he could always turn out to be a solid solution as a designated hitter.