The Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres have agreed to a trade that will send right-hander Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagan to the midwest in exchange for multiple players, including reliever Taylor Rogers, the teams announced Thursday (MLB's Opening Day). Outfielder Brent Rooker will also head to San Diego.
Paddack, 26, is coming off a 2021 season in which he pitched to a 5.07 ERA and a 4.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 108 1/3 innings for San Diego while also missing time with elbow inflammation. For his career, the former eighth-round pick has an ERA+ of 97 across parts of three big-league seasons.
Paddack leans heavily on his 95-mph fastball, and he also mixes in a changeup and curve. His good stuff plus success at the command-and-control level raises hopes that he'll find more consistency in terms of run prevention. Paddack comes with three seasons of team control, as he's not eligible for free agency until after the 2024 season.
Pagán, a free agent after the 2023 season, struggled in two seasons out west. In 85 innings, he posted a 4.75 ERA (84 ERA+) and a 3.41 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Pagán's issues with the long ball have plagued him throughout his career, including during his time in San Diego. He gave up 20 home runs in those aforementioned 85 innings, or roughly two for every nine innings pitched.
The Paddack deal is the latest in what's been an active offseason for the Twins. Already they've swung trades for Sonny Gray, Gary Sánchez, and Gio Urshela and signed free agents Dylan Bundy, and Chris Archer to bolster the rotation. That's in addition to making the splash of the winter when they signed All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa to a three-year deal.
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On the Padres' side of things, the 31-year-old Rogers has been a highly effective reliever across parts of five seasons -- 3.15 ERA with a 4.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a .540 OPS allowed against left-handed batters. Last season, Rogers made his first All-Star appearance. He's slated for free agency after the upcoming season.
Rooker, 27, appeared in 65 games with the Twins over the past two seasons. He batted .212/.299/.413 (96 OPS+) with 10 home runs and 12 additional extra-base hits. His proneness to strikeouts has cast doubt on his ability to make the most of his impressive raw power.
The Padres have made several trades in recent weeks, obtaining first baseman Luke Voit from the New York Yankees and left-handed starter Sean Manaea from the Oakland Athletics. On Wednesday, the Padres shipped out catcher Victor Caratini, who caught all of Yu Darvish's starts last season. Caratini was sent to the Milwaukee Brewers as part of a three-player trade that ensured Jorge Alfaro will make San Diego's roster as the backup catcher.
