Kevin Acee: Padres looking at Rays’ Archer, Mets’ Syndergaard
NEW YORK – The Padres announced Wednesday that for $99 fans can buy a ticket package that guarantees they attend five victories this season.
That is, as long as the Padres win five of their remaining 30 games at Petco Park.
What a perfect time for there to be confirmation the team doesn’t plan to be so bad for so long.
In the verification of rumblings about the Padres having interest in front-line starting pitching, there is also confirmation the team believes contention is around the corner, relatively speaking.
Probably not in 2019 but perhaps in ’20 and certainly by ’21.
The Padres are, indeed, doing their due diligence on Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer and Noah Syndergaard of the New York Mets. Among others.
It is not know which of the Padres’ own players – in the majors and/or minors – are being talked about as part of any trades. What is known are the Padres’ parameters and priorities as they build toward contention.
Most of all, the Padres are not interested in giving up prospects they see as crucial pieces once they open that presumed playoff window.
Further, they are only interested in what they determine to be championship-level talent.
In acquiring major leaguers, that means adding exclusively players they believe are better than the majority of what they have now. And if they move Tyson Ross, Kirby Yates and/or Craig Stammen for prospects, it won’t be for anything less than players as good (or better) than what they already have in their system.
They have a number of prospects to fit on the 40-man roster this offseason or risk losing them. So any moves will likely help the organization accomplish the paring of the roster.
The reality is that the Padres are at a point with their stockpiling of prospects that moves are almost certainly coming – either by Tuesday’s non-waiver trade deadline, next month or in the offseason – in which they package some of those prospects for major-league talent.
An acquisition like Archer or Syndergaard would be a move akin to the February signing of Eric Hosmer – the seemingly unorthodox addition of a veteran player intended to help usher in a championship, mentor young players along the way and expected to contribute once the winning begins.
Archer, who turns 30 in September, is under contract through 2021 at a reasonable $27.5 million. Syndergaard, who turns 26 next month, is eligible for arbitration in 2019 and also under team control for the next three seasons.
Some of their investigations and discussion in which the Padres are participating this month could lead to moves in August. Based on presently having the National League’s worst record, they should be in excellent position to successfully land a player placed on waivers next month.
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New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard reacts after a catch by center fielder Curtis Granderson ended the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants during the National League Wild Card Game on Oct. 5, 2016, at Citi Field in New York. Syndergaard is set to begin throwing in less than two weeks. (Jim McIsaac/Newsday/TNS)
