The San Diego Padres are finalizing a transaction to acquire former Cy Young winner Blake Snell of the Tampa Bay Rays for potential pitcher Luis Patiño, receivers Francisco Mejia and Blake Hunt and pitcher Cole Wilcox, sources familiar with the aforementioned. according to ESPN.
The transaction, which is awaiting medical examinations, would send 28-year-old Snell to the Padres and he agreed exactly two months after the day of Game 6 of the World Series, in which he released only 5 brilliant halves. Tampa Bay ended up losing the game and series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
His parents’ aggression put them in the middle of winter in the middle of change talks. As they discussed possible deals for Yu Darvish of the Chicago Cubs and Sonny Gray of the Cincinnati Reds, their attention turned to Snell, whose contract will pay him $ 39 million over the next three years.
Tampa Bay, whose history of trading top players includes James Shields, David Price, Chris Archer, will receive significant loot in exchange for Snell. Patino, 21, the head of the trade, a 6-foot straight, with a fast ball of 97 mph and a glider considered among the best in the minor leagues. In 17 1/3 innings this season, he recorded an ERA of 5.19, eliminated 21 and went 14.
Mejia, 25, is an extraordinary prospect who has fallen out of contention in San Diego, but is a switching player. Wilcox received a $ 3.3 million bonus, a record for a third-round pick, after being knocked out of Georgia in this year’s draft. Hunt, 20, is the least known of the four, but he made an impression in the training league this year and is an excellent receiver (6-foot-3, £ 215) whose swing, they said. testers, has a chance to do that quickly climbs the lead.
Athletic was the first to report that the players will go to the Rays in agreement.
This marks the second largest transaction in San Diego for a pitcher in the last six months since the purchase of Mike Clevinger from the Cleveland Indians. He launched just 19 innings for the Padres before needing Tommy John’s surgery, but expects to return from an elbow injury by the 2022 season.
Even without Clevinger, the parents have a strong rotation while trying to catch the Dodgers in the NL West. Snell is backed by Dinelson Lamet, Zach Davies, Chris Paddack and a host of potential No. 5 beginners, including MacKenzie Gore, considered the best left-handed pitching prospect in baseball.
The depth of rotation of the rays had a significant blow, the Snell and Atlanta Braves trade, signing free agent Charlie Morton. Tampa Bay still offers great pitching depth and has the best baseball field system, led by shortstop Wander Franco, Kiley McDaniel’s top 100 prospect.