One name that has been synonymous with trade talk in the last two years is San Diego Padres third baseman Chase Headley.
The 2012 National League MVP candidate was at the forefront of trade rumors last year, but the Padres refused to deal their biggest star coming off of a career year. He hit .286/.376/.498 with 31 home runs and 115 RBI entering his age-29 season.
Not known for his power, Headley predictably regressed in 2013 to a line that was much closer to his career mark (.250/.347/.400). Suddenly he didn’t look as attractive to teams in need of a third baseman, eliminating virtually any trade talk around him this offseason.
It certainly didn’t help Headley‘s performance last year that he battled a knee injury that required surgery after the season ended.
But that doesn’t mean Headley won’t eventually find himself back on the trade block. He will play this season in San Diego and head into free agency next winter, which puts pressure on the Padres to compete for a playoff spot now or be forced to deal their third baseman this summer.
If San Diego’s front office does decide to trade Headley, this is a list of teams and potential packages that could entice the Padres to pull the trigger on their best position player.
Note: All stats courtesy of FanGraphs and Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted.