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The San Diego Padres did alright retaining Michael King, but they still need to replace the bat and glove of Luis Arraez. Luckily, there may be a cost-effective option waiting if they want it.
Fansided's Zachary Rotman believes the Padres could trade for veteran first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, whose time with the Baltimore Orioles may be up, as with their new roster, he no longer fits.
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“Mountcastle is not a fit in Baltimore anymore, particularly at the $6.7 million price tag he's set to earn, so trading him makes the most sense. A team like the San Diego Padres with a clear need at first base could be a natural fit. The Padres reportedly pursued Nolan Arenado with the intention of moving him to first base, and Mountcastle is probably a better hitter than Arenado is right now,” Rotman wrote.
This past season, Mountcastle slashed .250/.286/.367/.653 with 18 doubles, seven home runs and 35 RBI in 89 games played. However, in the 2024 season when he was fully healthy, he slashed .271/.308/.425/.733 with 30 doubles, 13 home runs, and 63 RBI in 124 games played.
Also, as Rotman mentioned, Mountcastle would be much cheaper than bringing back Arraez. He’s set to make $6.7 million this season, and then is a free agent after. A perfect chance to see if he has a bounce-back in San Diego, and if he does, re-sign him, and if he doesn’t, let him walk.
With the offseason winding down, the Padres options are starting to dwindle. If they truly want to compete, this might be their best option.
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