On Friday, it was learned that the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres have been discussing a trade for Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. From Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston:
Red Sox Discussing Trade For Padres’ Adrian Gonzalez
It appears [Red Sox general manager Theo] Epstein is making some headway, one baseball source with knowledge of the negotiations said Friday, in tempting [Padres general manager] Hoyer with a package of top prospects in the Red Sox minor league system.
In 2010, Gonzalez put up yet another terrific season, hitting .298 with 31 home runs and a .904 OPS. The 28-year-old is under contract with the Padres for one more year, and given his status as one of the National League’s best hitters in recent years, his next contract is bound to be a large one.
To make room for Gonzalez at first base, the Red Sox would likely move Kevin Youkilis to third base. Youkilis originally played third for the Sox before the acquisition of Mike Lowell moved him to first.
Meanwhile, the Padres came surprisingly close to an NL West crown in 2010, but they’ll be facing some serious issues if they send Gonzalez out of town. Aside from Gonzalez, no Padre hit more than 13 home runs, and the next-highest OPS was Will Venable’s .732. The Padres would surely like to get a quality bat or two in return.
For more on these teams, check in with our Red Sox blog, Over the Monster, and our Padres blog, Gaslamp Ball.
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