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The Padres are loaded at almost each place, and their lineup is barely getting deeper.
San Diego on Sunday acquired All-Star second baseman/outfielder Adam Frazier in a commerce with the Pirates, sending prospects Tucupita Marcano, Michell Miliano and Jack Suwinski to Pittsburgh in trade, ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel reported.
The reported deal is the newest forward of Friday’s MLB commerce deadline as patrons start to make strikes forward of a postseason run whereas sellers hope to capitalize on current worth in trade for constructing towards success down the highway.
Sporting Information graded the commerce for each groups.
Padres: A
That is not at all a transfer the Padres needed to make, however little question it makes them a greater staff.
San Diego already has Jake Cronenworth, who, based on Fangraphs, has produced 3.3 WAR, fourth-highest amongst second basemen in baseball. Frazier is sixth at 2.9.
Frazier is placing collectively one of the best season of his profession; he leads MLB with 125 hits and is slashing .327/.392/.453. He was voted an NL starter within the All-Star Recreation over Cronenworth. He has a monitor document of being a high-contact hitter, and this yr he has lowered his strikeout price to a career-low 10.6. He additionally has hit 4 dwelling runs and swiped 5 bases.
The Padres will discover a solution to put him on the sphere. Throughout his time in Pittsburgh, Frazier displayed versatility with greater than 1,000 innings within the outfield to go together with greater than 3,000 innings at second base, his major place. He made cameos at third base and shortstop, too, however he hasn’t appeared at both place since 2017. It’s extra possible that if Fernando Tatis Jr. wants relaxation at quick, Cronenworth or Ha-Seong Kim would play there whereas Frazier mans second.
San Diego can even shift Cronenworth to first base instead of Eric Hosmer to make room for Frazier.
Perhaps the most important query is the place Frazier matches in the batting order. He led off for Pittsburgh nearly solely this yr, however the Padres have primarily used left-handed hitter Trent Grisham and right-handed batter Tommy Pham to steer off. Frazier, a left-handed hitter, may change Grisham atop the order; he represents an on-base improve — .392 to .357 — and would permit the Padres to shift Grisham’s highly effective bat nearer to the center of the order. Tatis has been the staff’s major No. 2 hitter, although Grisham, third baseman Manny Machado and utility bat Jurickson Profar have additionally logged ABs within the second spot.
This is not only a transfer for 2021, both. Frazier has one yr arbitration eligibility remaining and will not change into a free agent till after the 2022 season. The Padres determine to be among the finest groups in baseball once more subsequent yr and can take pleasure in having the 29-year-old’s companies for it.
The Padres are 5 1/2 video games behind the Giants within the NL West however maintain a 5 1/2-game edge over the Reds for the second NL wild card. San Diego may not have wanted a leadoff hitter or a second baseman, however too many bats is rarely a foul factor when chasing a World Collection. And superutility gamers have had a knack for changing into postseason heroes (see Ben Zobrist).
Pirates: A
This deal looks like a win-win for each groups.
The Pirates’ haul does not embrace a MacKenzie Gore-type prospect, however Frazier was by no means going to internet that a lot. Pittsburgh acquired a standout utility prospect within the mould of Frazier in Marcano, who’s the headliner on this deal on the Pirates’ facet, and a pair of higher-risk/higher-reward gamers in Suwinski, an outfielder, and Miliano, a right-handed reliever.
Marcano is simply 21 however has already has reached the majors, debuting at first of this season. He has bounced round between San Diego and Triple-A El Paso this yr, which is the place he was earlier than being acquired by the Pirates. He struggled in his first style of big-league motion with a .182/.280/.205 slash line, although his 12 % stroll price and 18 % strikeout price had been spectacular numbers for a 21-year-old.
Pittsburgh followers should not be anxious in regards to the batting woes. He was promoted to the massive leagues after no 2020 minor league season. Previous to that, the very best stage he had reached was Single-A. The Triple-A numbers must be thrilling; he is slashing .272/.367/.444 with six homers and 4 steals in 44 video games, to go together with a powerful 1.08 BB/Ok price.
MLB Pipeline lists his hit and velocity instruments as above-average and says that if the bat expertise proceed to develop, he may very well be “a critical on-base menace as a bat-first center infielder.” The positioning famous that defensive struggles may transfer him to second base. Marcano has began at second, quick, left area and proper area between San Diego and El Paso. The positioning listed him as San Diego’s No. 5 prospect.
The opposite two gamers within the deal are fliers wbo may actually pan out. Suwinski, who will flip 23 on July 29, has launched 15 dwelling runs in 66 video games to go together with seven stolen bases and a .269/.398/.551 slash line in a breakout marketing campaign at Double-A San Antonio. There’s a threat {that a} excessive strikeout price may result in a low batting common, even when he balances it with double-digit stroll charges. However he nonetheless has time to enhance his strategy.
As with Suwinski, the 21-year-old Miliano brings pleasure and a few purple flags. He has been a strikeout machine out of the ‘pen, fanning batters at a 17.7 Ok/9 clip this season between low Single-A and excessive Single-A, a part of a development that started in rookie ball. He has posted a 3.60 ERA and held hitters to a sub-.200 batting common. Walks have been the issue: He is averaging 7.5 BB/9 this season, which has ballooned his WHIP to 1.400. He clearly has the uncooked stuff to be a swing-and-miss hurler. The query is whether or not he can harness it.
The Pirates had little use for Frazier, who did not match up with their aggressive timeline. They capitalized on his finest season so far by turning him right into a significant prospect who’s about able to take his place within the lineup and in addition occurs to be eight years youthful, plus two gamers who may assist them compete down the highway.
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