- Padres listed at +1100 to win 2021 World Series after acquiring LHP Blake Snell
- Snell won the 2018 AL Cy Young Award and led the Rays to the 2020 World Series
- Padres also sign INF Ha-Seong Kim out of the KBO
If there’s one thing we know about San Diego Padres general manager AJ Preller, it’s that he isn’t afraid to swing for the fences. The Padres were the biggest winners of last season’s trade deadline, as Preller attempted to turn the Padres into a contender by adding Mike Clevinger, Mitch Moreland, and Austin Nola.
Those moves didn’t result in a pennant for San Diego, but the Padres still boast one of the best young rosters in all of baseball. With Fernando Tatis Jr. looking like a perennial MVP candidate and Manny Machado under contract for the next decade, it’s only logical that Preller would still be looking to get the most out of his team’s core.
BREAKING: The San Diego Padres are finalizing a trade to acquire former Cy Young winner Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays for prospects.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 28, 2020
On Sunday night, Preller made his latest blockbuster move. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Padres were close to a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays for former Cy Young winner Blake Snell. In exchange for Snell, the Padres are prepared to send one of their top pitching prospects, Luis Patino, to Tampa Bay. The Rays will also acquire catchers Francisco Mejia and Blake Hunt as well as minor league pitcher Cole Wilcox.
Snell to Headline Padres’ Rotation
Snell is due about $39 million over the next three years, which make him an excellent value for a pitcher with a proven track record at the big league level. Snell was a key cog in the Rays’ trip to the World Series this past fall. The left-hander was dominant over the course of 5.1 innings of work in Game 6 against the Los Angeles Dodgers before he was infamously yanked by manager Kevin Cash. The Rays’ bullpen proceeded to blow the lead and ultimately cost the Rays a shot at the championship.
Now, Snell will join the same division that has been ruled by the Dodgers for the better part of the last decade. While Los Angeles will enter the 2021 season as presumptive World Series favorites, the Padres are quickly becoming one of their most fierce challengers in the National League.
Snell went 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA when he won the American League Cy Young Award for the Rays in 2018. Across five years in the big leagues, the 28-year-old is 42-30 with a 3.24 ERA. The lefty went 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 11 starts in the abbreviated 60-game 2020 season. He made six starts in the postseason and finished 22 with a 3.03 ERA.
Snell will instantly jump to the top of the Padres’ rotation in 2021. With Clevinger expected to miss the entire season due to injury, San Diego will rely heavily on Snell and Dinelson Lamet to lead a talented group of starters. Chris Paddack and Zach Davies will also compete for rotation spots, but the Padres may not be done wheeling-and-dealing just yet.
Padres Still Making Moves
Dennis Lin of The Athletic reported Monday that the Padres are also in “deep discussions” with the Chicago Cubs about a trade for right-hander Yu Darvish. Lin added that “multiple” players would be going to Chicago if the Padres are able to strike a deal for Darvish, who finished second behind Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer.
But that’s not all. Lin also reported that the Padres have agreed to a deal with infielder Ha-Seong Kim, who is the biggest name set to come to the majors from South Korea. Kim played shortstop for the Kiwoom Heroes, but he would likely shift to second base in San Diego. Jake Cronenworth, who won the NL’s Rookie of the Year Award this past season, is set to move to the outfield in order to make room for Kim.
The Padres have reached an agreement with Ha-seong Kim, a source tells The Athletic.
— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) December 28, 2020
As of this writing, world series betting sites have the Padres are listed at +500 to win the NL pennant in 2021. That puts them behind the Dodgers (+200) and Atlanta Braves (+390). San Diego is also listed at +1100 to win the World Series, which puts them fourth overall behind the Dodgers (+400), New York Yankees (+550), and Braves (+1000).
The Rays’ odds to repeat as American League pennant winners have faded to +650 following the departure of Snell. That puts them behind the Yankees (+270) and Chicago White Sox (+625) among AL contenders.
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith has been a staff writer with GamblingSites.org since early 2017. Taylor is primarily a sports writer, though he will occasionally dabble in other things like politics and entertainment betting. His primary specialties are writing about the NBA, Major League Baseball, NFL and domestic and international soccer. Fringe sports like golf and horse racing aren’t exactly his cup of tea, bu …
