Eric Hosmer’s contract with the Padres contained a limited no-trade clause, one which became a central topic for a few hours on the day of the deadline. Initially reported to be included in the Juan Soto/Josh Bell swap as a means of offsetting salary, Hosmer used his no-trade rights to block a move to a last-place Washington club.
The Friars and Nats went through with the Soto swap, subbing in Luke Voit instead. San Diego then pivoted and dealt Hosmer to the Red Sox — a team that was not on his no-trade list — along with minor leaguers Corey Rosier and Max Ferguson for pitching prospect Jay Groome. As part of that swap, San Diego agreed to pay down all the remaining money on Hosmer’s contract minus the league minimum.
Hosmer still has three years and $39MM remaining on that deal, as he’ll certainly bypass the chance to opt out and retest free agency this winter. For the next trio of seasons, he’ll also have complete no-trade protection. Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports that Hosmer’s contract contains a stipulation that he’d receive a full no-trade clause if San Diego traded him. The move to Boston triggered that provision, giving Hosmer control over any future movement.
While it was hard for the Padres to find a taker for the 12-year veteran on his $144MM deal, a trade from Boston isn’t difficult to envision. With the Red Sox not responsible for any notable chunk of money, they could market Hosmer to other teams for virtually no financial penalty. Boston still would not receive an immense return in that scenario, but he’d be a plausible buy-low candidate for a team seeking a left-handed bat.
Hosmer hit .268/.334/.382 across 419 plate appearances this season. While he was actually far better against left-handed pitching than righties in a small sample this year, he has more typical platoon splits over a multi-year span. Dating back to the start of 2020, he owns a .270/.346/.414 line while holding the platoon advantage. With San Diego on the hook for the salary, Hosmer’s solid bat against right-handed pitching and strong clubhouse reputation could have some appeal on the trade market.
The Red Sox figure to be open to parting with the 32-year-old, as Boston broke in top prospect Triston Casas late in the season. Baseball America’s #19 prospect entering the year, Casas hit .273/.382/.481 across 317 plate appearances at Triple-A Worcester to earn an MLB call in September. While he only hit .197 in his first 27 MLB games, the former first-rounder slugged five home runs and took 19 walks against 23 strikeouts. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom praised Casas’ plate discipline last week (link via Christopher Smith of MassLive) and conceded he “(doesn’t) know yet” whether Boston would be prepared to devote active roster spots to both Hosmer and Casas. Each hits left-handed and is limited to first base or designated hitter. While the Sox will see DH J.D. Martinez hit free agency, they could certainly retain Martinez or bring in another bat in an effort to bolster a lineup that was a hair better than average this season.
Boston’s limited financial commitments to Hosmer mean they presumably wouldn’t have any qualms about releasing him if they felt they were squeezed for flexibility by carrying multiple first basemen. It stands to reason they’d prefer to trade him for even a modest return than release him altogether if it came to that, but the revelation that Hosmer can block any deal adds a wrinkle to that potential scenario, although it’s certainly one of which the Boston front office was aware at the time they acquired him.
Welcome to the Rays
I agree. He would be perfect for my favorite
team the Rays.
We were talking about this clause in the comments on here like 4 months ago. And trading Hosmer didn’t offset any salary considering the Padres are paying all but the league minimum.
Makes sense to hold on to him for a little bit just in case Casas starts out slow. The question is, what are they going to do with Dalbec? He’s a perfect candidate to trade to the Pirates for a relief pitcher. He might break out in Pitt.
JD’s probably not coming back so a Casas/Hosmer/Dalbec rotation between 1B/DH isn’t out of the question. Dalbec’s ability to play 3B as well as appearing at 2B/SS gives him enough versatility to keep around (could try him in the OF corners as well, maybe)
That honestly isn’t a bad scenario at all. Spend the money on DH someplace else.
Hosmer also has better splits against lefties, so he could be the ‘right’ platoon with Casas until Casas can get his feet under him
The better splits mentioned in the article is simply a function of a .382 BABIP against lefties. When that reverts back to ~ .300, his OPS against lefties will revert back to less than .700. He was at .676, .613, and .600 in his three previous seasons against lefties.
That said, there should be some interest in him from the small market teams. Choi at $4.5M for the Rays, especially with the Rays having other players to sign? The Pirates were last in 1B OPS by a fair margin, and won’t be looking to compete in 2023.
And as someone else mentioned, Dalbec to the Pirates makes some sense, so sending them a ready-made platoon of Dalbec/Hosmer might get them a 2 WAR 1B for about minimum wage.
Problem is how do you send them a “ready-made platoon of Dalbec/Hosmer” when Hosmer now has a full no-trade clause and is almost guaranteed to veto a trade to Pittsburgh. And what’s the return? Dalbec and Hosmer aren’t netting Bryan Reynolds and outside of maybe Kevin Newman or David Bednar there isn’t much else on the Pirates roster worth trading for
Dalbec is just a taller version of Chavis. He swings for the fences and strikes out way too much. His failure to make steady contact is the downfall of both players. I have to think poor coaching has a factor in their shortcomings.
Rsox – agree with Dalbec playing 3B and DH in addition to first (IF he is not traded)!
Dalbec should have been traded long ago. Now we might only get a bag of cracker jacks.
I still cannot believe the Padres gave Hosmer that deal
Agreed. This story keeps getting better and better.
I think they were willing to overpay Hosmer as like a “proof of concept signing”. He was the FIRST big name free agent to sign there in a long time. Him showing a willingness to go SD showed other guys that “hey, maybe SD isn’t so bad”. I firmly believe that Machado doesn’t sign there before Hosmer.
That said, terrible deal lol but they could afford it at the time.
Absolutely Machado signs there without Hosmer! To say otherwise is to say that he would have left $50m guaranteed on the table without Hosmer. It is also to say that he would have gone back on his and his agent’s pre free agency demands for a $300m guarantee after already having those demands met. Is that REALLY the hill you wanna die on?
Yea i agree aswell. Things like this happen in sports alot, some teams are seen as less then but when 1 big name signs it brings more usually
@Murphy NFLD Idk how often that happens but it’s not what happened here. Hosmer signing didn’t bring anyone to SD. $$$$ did.
Disagree with many here. Of course Machado was getting paid but Prior to Hosmer signing, the team was not a drawing magnet for free agents despite the area being amongst the best areas to live in.
I am with you harambe, Machado was going to sign with whoever had the largest check. Maybe signing hosmer let ownership have a bigger checkbook but in reality it was money that got Machado to be in the SD hot corner
@dewey There is no agreeing or disagreeing! There is fact and there is fiction. There is truth and there is falsehood. There is what happened and what did not happen. And what happened is Manny’s agent told teams “We won’t even talk to you if you don’t put a $300m guarantee on the table” and the Padres were the only team that did that. Do you seriously believe Machado and his agent would have gone back on those demands after already having them met if the Padres hadn’t signed Hosmer first???? Do you seriously believe they would have left $50m and an opt-out on the table if the Padres hadn’t signed Hosmer first????
Hosmer’s signing didn’t move any needles. He was the source of a collective “wtf?” across the league.
Beam – yes “wtf”, but he was still better than Franchy Cordero at first base (until he got hurt). He is also a backup plan in case Casas turns into the next Michael Chavis or Bobby Dalbec. The Red Sox bench is also currently projected as all right handed, so Hosmer may be used as a DH against righted starters, 1B, and a LH pinch hitter.
Agree, but I was actually referring to Hosmer’s original contract with SD.
Hosmer’s original contract was an over pay, because no one wanted to go to SD including the fans. I am a huge Red Sox fan and had only gone to one SD game in 12 years, and I live 32 miles from Petco ballpark.
Of course it does not help that the Red Sox only come about every six years. Starting 2023 it should be about every other year. Lol, just as I am moving away…
I can’t believe people tried to justify it. Saying things like it’s nice to see padres act like a bigger market team. It attracts other free agents. Machado signed there because he was offered the most money. Simple as that.
EXACTLY! Machado’s agent told teams “We won’t even talk to you if you don’t put a $300m guarantee on the table.” Him signing with another team was completely out of the question.
You don’t think the Padres could have been used to then sign elsewhere? While San Diego is amongst the best areas to live, the cost of living is amongst the highest. He could have netted the same $$ by signing with Houston or Texas just to name two teams. I’ve been arguing each team’s tax threshold numbers should be adjusted based on the cost of living in each area.
@dewey What did the Rangers and Astros even offer Manny? I don’t remember them even being mentioned as potential landing spots for him. If they were willing to meet his $300m demands they would have done it. He stayed on the open market for ages.
This is ridiculous Dewey. So the best ran states should then be penalized, cap wise because the states they are in are better ran financially than some others?
Maybe the exact opposite should be done.. penalize states which throw away needless money, by the feds on crazy and outlandish amounts of cash on boondoggles.. California would line up at No.1 in this area.
I think he was paying CA income tax as a resident already but I could be wrong.
I wrote this years ago… The Padres should send him an ATV and a case of Jack Daniels. A non-baseball injury could be their only hope.
Don’t forget the ringworm cream!
Send him to Aroldis Chapman’s tattoo artist.
That’s an ingenious incentive. Especially on a long contract 7+ years. A full no-trade clause replaces an opt out. It still has its ups and downs. There’s a chance a player is traded to one or the teams not on the list could be in a rebuild.
Big deal. Sox knew what they were doing and it doesn’t really hamper them at all. Worse comes to worse they just release him. Come spring training and injuries teams might want to trade for him to plug a gap.
Yes it’s much to do with nothing really.
He seems like house money to me. Get him healthy and see what he can do next year. I like Casas but I liked Dalbec and he has disappointed. I would only keep JD at a reasonable cost. They need to concentrate on other things so it’s good that they don’t need to worry about Hosmer for now.
He won’t do anything except for sucks
Ms will trade Robbie Ray and jrod and kelenic and the big dumper for him. Just take Robbie Ray.
What is Hosmer’s defense like at 1B these days?
Its not bad.
Yeah, it’s worse.
It’s pretty bad
Watched him every day is SD..it’s really bad.
Hosmer isn’t going to want to go to a team early in a rebuild, and if he can block any trades, Boston would need to find a fit with a contending team that suddenly was faced with a season-ending injury to their first baseman. Maybe he plays at a 1WAR level. But he’s never been a great player…his contract is a testament to Boras convincing the Padres that he was.
Mike – If I remember 2015 correctly, Hosmer was the stud of the World Series winning KC Royals. That’s how he got the SD contract.
He had a good contract year in 2017 and that certainly helped—that was his FA year. In 2015, he hit .190/.240/.238 in the World Series, but he did drive in 6.
Mike – I worded that poorly. He was a stud while on the Royals that year and the preceding several years. I didn’t mean to imply he was a stud in the WS. He fell off only after signing with the Padres.
Hosmer sure lives a charmed life.
“no trade”? Should have asked for a “No DFA”.
I believe Casas will do very well assuming he isn’t hit heavy by the sophomore slump end of next year, year after.
Why not just keep Hosmer? He costs nothing, plays a real good 1B, and can a mentor to Casas (As long as they’re not talking contracts).
Also he can be used off the bench or as a platoon with Casas. Even though both are lefties, Hosmer has better splits against lefties. So it’s no different than signing a righty 1B.
There is no need to trade this guy!
“Plays a real good 1B” XD XD XD
Okay, just looked at his def ratings the past five years. Maybe real good’ is overstating a bit, but not by much, He’s not a GG anymore. But he still plays a solid 1B.
I still say that anyone you acquire to replace this guy is going to cost more. Why waste the money
Was going to share a video of Hosmer’s, how do you say, “highlights” but I got a pending. To put it simply the man is a walking blooper reel at 1st base.
Keeping him on the 40 man roster may cost the Red Sox a prospect in the Rule 5 draft. There’s almost no upside to Hosmer at this point, the Padres tried to trade him for years and found no takers. The Red Sox would be better off waiting for Mike Ford to be released.
Could be a good fit for the Pirates. 1B has been a black hole and if nothing else he would provide some veteran leadership. Offer him the chance to play everyday or close to it and he might bite.
I am perfectly fine with a Hosmer and Casas at 1B next year. I assume Casas will get the bulk of the starts but have a guy like Hosmer in the clubhouse will be good for the youth.
Also wouldn’t mind Hill back on the same deal and have him be a #5 starter. I loved how he was talking shop with Bello. Seemed to really form a bond.
And if the Sox were to throw the brinks truck at anyone, I hope it’s DeGrom. Him and Sale in the same clubhouse would be a dream. I wish there was a position player that had the same mentality as these guys. I’d love to have another Trot Nixon in the OF this year.
I hope it’s DeGrom. Him and Sale in the same clubhouse would be a dream.
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He’s on my list as well, but he could be a complete disaster. Injured in both ’21 & ’22, and with a 6.08 in his final 4 starts, albeit with an insane 39/4 K/W. And Cohen is not going to lay down on this one.
That said, in that fantasy world where Sale & DeGrom combined for 60 starts, we’ll be really good.
As you say, fantasy world. Frankly at this point I feel we’d be lucky to get 15 starts out of Sale next season.
Plus 25 starts of bello! And 15 of Hill! Still missing a starter or two with those two (Hill coming back)
I can handle DeGrom and Sale as long as it’s not a move to bump the stock price of Boston General Hospital. They could be busy with those 2 in Boston!
You are in dreamland. 60 starts?
This contract gets better and better. WTF were the Padres thinking in 2018
That signing was always a gamble for the Padres. They hoped that a slugger in his mid-late twenties who had a career year and playoff experience would be the first major puzzle piece. But Hosmer never panned out and the Pads mostly struggled in the same time span.
But front loading the contract did allow for this situation to play out. It’s easier to swallow paying $13M a year for a guy who’s on another team than $18M a year. Still a bad signing for the Pads and I still don’t understand how they got so little from Boston.
I know nothing about Groome. What’s the story on him?
MLBPipeline’s #1 ranked draft prospect going into the 2016 MLB draft. Fell to the Red Sox at #12 due to signability and maturity concerns. Preller reportedly had a pre draft deal with him wherein he would take him at #24 if he was still on the board. This obviously didn’t work out for Preller. Groome signed with the Red Sox for $3.65m, which remains a franchise record for a drafted pitcher and has not had any off-field issues since signing. But he has been hit hard by the injury bug, including a Tommy John surgery in 2018. The Red Sox placed him on their 40-man roster after the 2020 season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft and then obviously sent him to the Padres in the Hosmer trade. FWIW he was healthy in 2022 and looked pretty good in AAA (in the notoriously hitter friendly PCL) after coming over to the Padres. Will be a likely candidate for the rotation in 2023 spring training. 2023 is his last option year which means after that it’s either carry him on the major league roster or expose him to outright waivers.
He’s also been plagued by inconsistency when healthy, unable to show the control or command to really excel. He was grading out as a swing man with a ceiling of a #5 starter early on last year. If he winds up pulling it all together and exceeding those marks good on him but he’s at the point in his pro career where he has to show his worth. Especially since he’s down to his final option year in 2023.
Thanks!
How has he burnt his option years already? Thanks.
If you spend 20 or more days in a season on the 40 man roster but off the active major league roster or major league IL, you lose an option year. You get 3 option years. Groome has burned 2. 2021 and 2022 were option years for him regardless of him never appearing in the majors in those years because he was on the 40-man roster.
Cheers for that, I didn’t know how it worked exactly.
If the Padres are on the hook for most of Hosmer’s salary, what’s to stop the Red Sox from just DFA’ing him? They don’t need him with Casas on the roster and the Sox would be responsible for just the major league minimum.
Nkschum – you are correct. The Red Sox can DFA Hosmer at any time, no sweat, but they were short on LH hitters last year and could use Hosmer to DH vs right handed starters (if they do not sign a full time DH, which I do not see them doing).
If the Sox aren’t going to eat his contract, then I would sit him down and let him know that if he stays here, he’s not going to play. Then, they’ll find out what he wants more – the money or to be able to play baseball. Look, nowhere in the bylaws does it state that a player has to play, only that guaranteed contracts must be paid.
Or, you know, they can let him show up for spring training and try to earn a spot on the team. If he doesn’t they can put him on waivers. Maybe he’ll be claimed, in which case they can see if he’ll waive the no-trade. But just as likely he’ll pass through waivers and get outrighted to he minors. And then, if all else fails, they can release him outright and eat the $750k salary.
Sox are in a no-lose situation with Homer.
He gets paid no matter what. Baseball is just a bonus.
You don’t think that happened? Multiple times, likely?
Listen to the whispers. They are screaming out loud about him.
Hosmer being gone was the best possible thing for San Diego. Listen to the whispers.
Since it took prospects plus paying 92% of his contract to get rid of him, the rest of MLB knew it. It’s like he turned into a roster tumor or virus. No one is going to give up an asset.
Just excise him already and save us valuable seconds online reading the next 125 notes about Boston’s efforts to jettison his carcass.
Meneses outhit Juan Soto — Meneses could very well be for real and if so its a shame that teams waited so long on him
Meneses was with the Red Sox for two seasons in AA. He did not show enough for much time in AAA let alone the MLB. Some players simply take longer to blossom into a solid major leaguer.
casas is for real and without the shift he’ll get “realer”
the sox would be crazy to give a single one of his at-bats to hosmer
Outcomes in which Eric Hosmer gets 500 plate appearances for the Red Sox in 2023 and the Red Sox make the playoffs………….there are 14,000,605 possible outcomes and only one in which the Red Sox make the playoffs. In that outcome the Red Sox lineup begins Trea Turner, SS…..Aaron Judge, CF…….
You are dreaming in Judge. No way the Yankees are going to loose him, no way. Bloom will never go the money on Judge. What is he going to do give up on Boggarts ?
So much for fans saying we acquired Hosmer only to trade him.
They acquired him to add Max Ferguson and Corey Rosier. No one was ever trading anything with upside for Hosmer.
Very true. That’s my point. I just heard others saying here that they signed him to flip him for more and it just doesn’t make sense.
Hands down Boston wins the trade regardless.
Sox have a solid backup 1B if Casas struggles. Devers to DH, Dalbec to 3B if he plays well enough.
Please Bloom, do not go into the season with Dalbac with a platoon again at first base. He cannot hit period. Dalbac should not be anywhere near a baseball diamond. I also question Hosmer’s heart to play. He went on the DL almost immediately and remained there until the last few games of the season. Now he has a no trade ? What was the rush to pick this guy up, because he was cheap and another team was picking up his salary? Bloom, you need production at first base not two guys who one, Dalbac makes close to major league minimum and Hosmer, a guy whose salary is being paid by San Diego. Bloom, think production here that can help the team!
After he gets DFA’d he won’t be nearly as picky.
“Hey, Washington Nationals… you wanted me a little while back… remember me?”