The San Diego Padres are officially buyers.
Already armed with superstar shortstop Fernando Tatís Jr. and playing in a division with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the shocking San Francisco Giants, they’re going all-in for a playoff push. Superstar ace and three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer is reportedly close to making his way to San Diego.
In the end, Scherzer and his 2.76 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 111.0 innings pitched has a no-trade clause and will have the final say on where he goes, but it’s been reported that he was interested in West Coast teams, including S.D. It is also being reported that the players involved in the trade have been agreed upon, but that Scherzer signing off on the move is still required.
If this trade happens, the Padres will suddenly be equipped with one of the game’s best pitchers, a true top-of-the-rotation ace with all the confidence and killer instinct that you want in the playoffs. If the Padres squeak in and indeed have to play in a win-or-go-home wild-card game, there are few pitchers I would want toeing the rubber for that matchup than Scherzer, no matter who the opponent is.
With starter Dinelson Lamet currently on the Injured List and slated to make a return at some point, the Padres starting rotation would look like this: Max Scherzer, Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, Dinelson Lamet, and Blake Snell.
Scherzer will always be a D.C. icon, and leaves as a fearless competitor who helped bring the Nationals organization their first-ever World Series trophy.
The Padres are no longer the little brother in this division. The Dodgers are still incredibly formidable, but San Diego and its flawless weather is certainly making a push to challenge L.A., and of course San Fran, for the NL West crown.