Padres trade for Pagan

*Photo from the East Village Times*

   The San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to a trade for Rays closer Emilio Pagan, according to the Padres. Padres OF Manuel Margot and C/OF prospect Logan Driscoll are headed to the Rays in exchange for Pagan. This is the second significant trade between San Diego and Tampa Bay this winter, as the Rays traded OF Tommy Pham and prospect Jake Cronenworth to the Padres in exchange for OF Hunter Renfroe and IF prospect Xavier Edwards. 

   For the Padres, a strong bullpen will get even stronger with the addition of Pagan. He went 4-2 last season with a 2.31 ERA in 66 games for the Rays, and picked up 20 saves. In his 3 year career, Pagan is 9-6 with a 3.26 ERA over 155 games between the Rays, Oakland Athletics, and Seattle Mariners. Pagan will slot into the back end of the Padres bullpen that includes dynamite closer Kirby Yates and Drew Pomeranz. Pagan will likely become the setup man in San Diego, with Yates firmly entrenched as closer. The Padres bullpen also includes flamethrower Andres Munoz, and Pierce Johnson, who was signed away from Japan. 

   The 25 year old Margot hit .234 with 12 homers and 37 RBI for the Padres in 151 games played in 2019. Margot is a career .248 hitter with 33 homers and 130 RBI in 428 games played in his 4 year major league career, all spent with the Padres. Margot isn't known for his hitting ability, but his solid defense. He had 11 outs above average(OAA) in center field last season for the Padres, good for 7th among all outfielders. Driscoll was selected with the 73rd overall pick in last year's draft by the Padres. He hit .268 with 3 homers for Low-A Tri City last year. 

   With Margot leaving San Diego, GM AJ Preller said that center field will be a 3 man battle in Spring Training, with Franchy Cordero, Wil Myers, and Trent Grisham competing for playing time. In Tampa Bay, the outfield picture is very crowded, even before the addition of Margot. Austin Meadows and Kevin Kiermaier remain from last year's team, and Jose Martinez and Randy Arozarena, both primarily outfielders, were acquired from the St.Louis Cardinals this winter. Japanese slugger Yoshitomo Tsutsugo also has gotten reps in the outfield, along with Joey Wendle, Brandon Lowe, and Daniel Robertson.