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Four Possible Trades Between Astros and Padres

By Issa Cook

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Trade for Ross, Kimbrel, and Justin Upton

Jul 6, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; San Diego Padres left fielder Justin Upton (10) on the field prior to playing the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Alright, this is just getting ridiculous. If the Astros pull off this trade, I will absolutely go crazy. I don’t know what kind of crazy, however. As much as I want Kimbrel to be the dominant force of this bullpen and Ross to add pitching depth, I don’t know how much I want a hitter in Upton whose best days were 4 years ago.

Seriously, if you look at Upton’s career, his best WAR was in 2011, when he came in at 6.1. Then in 2012, he dropped to 2.5, followed by 2.9 in 2013, 3.2 in 2014, and 3.0 thus far in 2015. He has a .249 batting average with 16 home runs and only 85 hits compared to 101 strikeouts. These are not All-Star numbers by any stretch.

With that said, it would still take an enormous deal to haul Kimbrel, Ross, and Upton from the Padres. Upton, although he’s struggling so far, could turn it around in a postseason race with the Astros and become a solid piece in the outfield. With that said, here’s a potential deal between A.J. Preller and Jeff Luhnow:

Astros receive: Craig Kimbrel, Tyson Ross, and Justin Upton

Padres receive: Mark Appel, Will Harris, Colin Moran, Preston Tucker, Josh Hader, and Michael Feliz

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Unfortunately, a deal like this one would definitely take a large-scale selling of the farm system. I personally would hate to see a lot of these guys traded to San Diego, but that’s a part of the business. Tucker and Harris have been key pieces in the Astros run recently, and Appel is a top prospect. Moran, Hader, and Feliz are also top-tier prospects with a lot of potential. I saw Feliz pitch last night at AA, and I was really impressed with his stuff.

To relinquish Upton, the Padres would definitely need a quality replacement for him in the outfield, and San Diego would have a closing opportunity waiting for Harris as soon as he gets there. Appel would probably get promoted to the majors, and they would want Feliz in the bullpen pretty soon as well. Third base is a position of need for the Padres across the board, as I would think that Moran would see time in AAA immediately for that organization.

Once again, I am NOT in favor of this grand of a deal! But, if this big of a trade is being discussed, Astros fans must realize the quality of prospects that would be traded away. I hope I helped in that regard, and I’m looking forward to these next two days. Should be entertaining for sure!

Next: Astros Trade Rumors: Yoenis Cespedes

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