Though each player just had his option exercised yesterday, Padres right-hander Joaquin Benoit and Brewers first baseman Adam Lind are both available in trade talks right now, tweets ESPN’s Buster Olney.
While the news isn’t necessarily unexpected, especially in Lind’s case, it could certainly have an impact on the offseason direction of multiple clubs. A team that acquires Lind in the near future — and it’s worth keeping in mind that he was traded from Toronto to Milwaukee on Nov. 1 last year, making a near-future deal plenty possible — would likely be plugging a hole at first base or designated hitter, thereby removing them from the free agent market at said positions. Clubs in possible need of first base/DH help could include the Pirates, Orioles, Rockies, Mariners, White Sox, Astros and A’s, depending on roster decisions made by each club early in the offseason.
Olney further tweets that catcher Jonathan Lucroy and closer Francisco Rodriguez “are available for trade talks” as well, as new Milwaukee GM David Stearns aims to make his team younger and build for the future. Any of the three Brewers players mentioned by Olney would have value to another team, with Lind controlled for one year at $8MM, Rodriguez owed $7.5MM this coming season (plus a $2MM buyout or $6MM club option for 2017) and Lucroy owed $4MM in 2016 (plus a $5.25MM club option for 2017).
As for Benoit, the Padres exercised a $7.5MM club option over him yesterday rather than paying a $1MM buyout. The 38-year-old is coming off three exceptionally strong seasons split between the Tigers and Padres, having worked to a 1.98 ERA with 9.6 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 41.7 percent ground-ball rate. Although metrics such as FIP, xFIP and SIERA feel that Benoit has overperformed, he’s been able to sustain abnormally low BABIP levels and high strand rates, suggesting that there’s some degree of skill involved in those atypical marks. While there’s been a good deal of talk about the Padres potentially trading Craig Kimbrel this winter, and Benoit then closing for the team next season, it appears that Benoit will be marketed prior to any theoretical Kimbrel talks. A trade of Benoit wouldn’t rule out the possibility of dealing Kimbrel, of course, but moving both would create quite a bit of work for the Padres in the bullpen, as right-hander Shawn Kelley is also up for free agency this winter.
Please no Mariners and Lind. 1) too expensive. 2) we already have Seager for a power left handed option. Let’s talk about Mitch Moreland or James Loney.
Mitch Moreland? really?
You want James Loney($9.6M) who’s getting paid more than Adam Lind($8.0M) despite being a light hitting 1B who get’s on base less than Lind?
The Padres should just keep Benoit, for now since they won’t get as much back for him in a trade compared to trading Kimbrel.
I would be interested to see what Benoit fetches on the trade market. $8mil on a reliever isn’t cheap, but he has been very good. I’d say he could land 2/18 like Koji did on the FA market, so I’d expect a couple B prospects or a low end top 100 type.
Jim Johnson’s $10M deal being picked up by Oakland seems like a comp, although Benoit becoming a terrible pitcher like JJ did doesn’t seem like it would happen.
Lucroy, Rodriguez & Lind to the A’s for Chad Pinder, Matt Olson & Colin Walsh? Too heavy for a few year+ rentals?
That’s not even close for Lucroy alone. Hell, I’m not even sure if I’d trade Lind and K-Rod for that.
You realize all 3 of those guys are not on long term deals, right? Matt Olson is a top 100 prospect, Pinder & Walsh had excellent seasons at prime positions. I think maybe adding a guy like Jesse Chavez might make it work. Lucroy isn’t as highly thought of outside of Milwaukee.
Lucroy is signed for two more years at a total of $9.25M. That has incredible value, especially when you consider that in the 1,581 plate appearances prior to this year’s injury plagued season he accumulated 13 WAR.
That’s monster value for the team acquiring him and he’ll almost certainly be given a qualifying offer when he hits free agency, which also provides value to the team acquiring him.
Lind is a fairly cheap, solid platoon bat that could also be given a QO if he’s traded this winter and has another solid season next year.
Not a huge fan of K-Rod and would be fine trading him for a Nicky Delmonico type like the first time but it’s not like he doesn’t have any value either.
That offer is awful.
Olson is not ranked in BA’s top 100. He was in MLB.com’s to start the season but fell off when they updated it after the draft.
The other two pieces are even worse than the best piece. A free swinger with average tools and a 26 year old that can’t even make the A’s top 30 prospect list.
Beane would be laughed off the phone if he offered that for Lucroy alone, much less all of Lucroy, Lind and K-Rod.
This would be an awful trade for the Brewers.
Lind and Segura to the Rays for Enny Romero, Desmond Jennings and JP Arencibia. Hard throwing LH’er (pen or starter), LF/CF’er who’s time is up in Tampa and a platoon catcher with power to replace some of Lind’s number but allows Lucroy to play 1st base.
That’s an awful trade for the Brewers as well
Benoit to the Orioles?
I’d rather have Lind, they need a 1 st baseman to take place of the departing Davis. They don’t need to trade for an expensive old reliever