CINCINNATI, OH – AUGUST 12: Trevor Rosenthal #40 of the Kansas City Royals pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park on August 12, 2020 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Royals won 5-4. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres are all-in for the MLB postseason
The MLB trade deadline takes place this Monday, which means that teams in pole position of clinching a postseason berth can make a move to put them over the edge. When it comes to the biggest trade of the deadline, the San Diego Padres now hold that distinction.
According to MLB insider Jeff Passan, the Padres have acquired Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Trevor Rosenthal.
Padres add the best bullpen arm on the trade market
The Padres are currently in second-place in the NL West behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, and were in need of some arms. You would think the team would have added an ace first, but with closer Kirby Yates out with an elbow injury, the Padres decided to pounce at the opportunity to add Rosenthal, the best bullpen arm on the trade market.
Through 14 games this season, Rosenthal has 3.29 ERA, while successfully converting all seven of his save opportunities. In return the Royals are receiving outfield prospect Edward Olivares and a PTBNL. He is ranked as the No. 20 prospect in the Padres system per MLB Pipeline, and is 24 years old. Overall, this is a fair price to pay for a reliever of Rosenthal’s caliber this season, especially give he’s on a one-year prove-it deal worth just $2 million.
The Padres have been the most exciting team in the league thus far, and now, they made a move that could result in a lengthy postseason run.