The San Diego Padres have been out of the playoff hunt for some time. General Manager Josh Byrnes was fired earlier in the year, and more changes are on the way. Huston Street was sent to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for a trio of prospects last night. It seems very likely that more trades are on the way. One big name that should get moved is third baseman Chase Headley.
Headley, who will hit free agency after this season, had an MVP-caliber season in 2012. The third baseman produced an impressive .286/.376/.498 batting line with 31 home runs. Impressive numbers to be sure, but especially so considering that he played half his games in very spacious Petco Park.
Along with his 145 wRC+, he played good defense at the keystone and played in 161 games. All told he totaled 7.2 fWAR, the 6th best mark among position players.
Headley got off to a brutal start in 2014. In the first month of the season he managed an ugly .186/.250/.314 line, and the next two months of the season weren’t much better. July has been more kind to the 30 year-old, as he’s currently hitting .321/.321/.446 for a 118 wRC+.
Despite his offensive struggles, (and Headley is hitting just .226/.295/.348 overall), he’s managed to accumulate 1.3 fWAR, and projects as an above-average offensive player going forward.
Unless they plan on signing him to a long-term deal, Headley is just a rental for any team that acquires him. He’s owed $10.5 million for this year, a good chunk of which has already been paid out by the Padres.
In terms of prospects, he shouldn’t come at a very high cost, as he doesn’t have long-term value and he’s been an average hitter over his last 900 plate appearances. Nevertheless, he could still help many teams out.
The New York Yankees are interested in Headley. Their infield situation, particularly on the left side, has been problematic. Yangervis Solarte got off to a hot start, but he’s since cooled off, and spent some time in the minors while Zelous Wheeler filled in. Kelly Johnson has been mediocre and as a whole Yankees third basemen have hit just .242/.319/.391, with most of that coming from Solarte’s early season heroics.
Headley would represent an upgrade, and Yankee Stadium’s short porch would be a nice fit for his switch-hitting bat.
It appears that General Manager Brian Cashman is going to be aggressive, and he has already acquired Brandon McCarthy. Trading for Headley would add some punch to the Yankees lineup.
Meanwhile, the Padres would be able to get some value for a player that is likely to leave after this season. More moves are in store for the Padres, and sending Headley to the Yankees is a logical next step in the rebuilding process.
