MLB rumors: 3 teams that should trade for Chris Sale and why

3) MLB rumors: The Padres can make room for Chris Sale

When looking at possible destinations for Chris Sale, it’s important to note which teams might simply do the deal and take on the salary. It needs to be a club in a win-now position, too. They do, of course, also need to have room in the rotation or space to move another player to open up a spot.

This brings us to the San Diego Padres. Although they did sign Seth Lugo this offseason and appear to have a plan to use him as a starter, trading Nick Martinez or moving him to the bullpen could open up a spot for Sale.

The Padres are in a similar spot as the Cardinals except they lack the organizational depth. Their chance to win it all is a little shorter. Next year’s crop of free agents includes some notable players on this roster. They, too, can get a head start by bringing in Sale and giving him a chance to excel with them.

Many of the best Padres prospects were already sent to the Washington Nationals in the Juan Soto deal. Catcher Luis Campusano might be one of the more intriguing young players the Red Sox could look to acquire. Their catcher situation now and in the future is bleak.

When it comes to these MLB rumors about Sale, the next step will be to discover if the Red Sox are looking for legitimate prospects or simply looking to remove the salary. They will likely need to continue paying a portion of his deal. The Padres, who are already deep into trying to win in 2023, can make another big push to add a potential ace to the mix. Taking on Sale’s entire salary could push them ahead of any other contenders.