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To say the San Diego Padres started their 2016 in uninspiring fashion would be an understatement. 

According to Elias Sports Bureau (via SportsCenter on Twitter), the Padres became the first team in Major League Baseball history to get shut out over the course of the first three games of the regular season.

The 1943 St. Louis Browns owned the old record after they opened their season with 26 straight scoreless innings, per STATS (via the Associated Press‘ Bernie Wilson). 

The Padres appeared in line to avoid the futile mark when they had runners on the corners with one out in the sixth inning, but Cory Spangenberg was controversially ruled out on a play at the plate that was upheld upon review, per MLB Replay on Twitter: 

San Diego encountered more bad luck earlier in the sixth inning when Jon Jay was ruled out at second base after initially being deemed safe: 

Not only were the Padres outscored 25-0 during their season-opening three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they mustered a combined total of 11 hits—good for an average 3.7 per game. 

A year after finishing 23rd in total runs scored (650) and last in batting average (.243), San Diego has been even worse. 

If there’s any good news, though, it’s that the scoreless streak should be coming to an end soon. The Padres will open a three-game set against the Colorado Rockies on Friday, and the series will take place within the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field. 

With the ball set to fly in high altitude, the Padres shouldn’t take long to plate a runner or two against a Rockies team that surrendered 19 runs in three games this week against the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

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The San Diego Padres are reportedly “in agreement” on a minor league deal with veteran starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com on Friday.  

Guthrie was released from his minor league deal with the Texas Rangers on Thursday, per John Blake, the team’s executive vice president of communications.

Guthrie is coming off a season with the Kansas City Royals in which he posted career worsts in ERA (5.95) and WHIP (1.551) since becoming a full-time starter in 2007. He also allowed an American League-high 29 home runs at a whopping 14.1 percent home run rate with a minus-1.8 bWAR.

The team left him off the playoff roster in the fall less than a year after he started Game 7 of the 2014 World Series. The Royals declined to pick up his $10 million mutual option to keep him in 2016 and bought him out for $3.2 million.

His departure was expected, given the high value of his contract and his underperformance. 

Guthrie signed with the Rangers in late February as an insurance starter who would compete for the fifth and final rotation spot with Chi Chi Gonzalez and Nick Martinez. Cole Hamels, Martin Perez and Colby Lewis are slated at the top, respectively, with ace Yu Darvish expected to rejoin the team midseason. 

The Padres are a better fit for Guthrie, given their lack of starting pitching depth beyond Tyson Ross, James Shields and Andrew Cashner.

Guthrie’s days as a top-of-the-rotation hurler are probably over, but he could vie for big league time toward the back end of the rotation in San Diego.

All advanced stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher James Shields has once again cropped up in trade rumors with the regular season rapidly approaching. 

Continue for updates.

Shields Back on Trade Block

Friday, Mar. 25

On Friday, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported that a “few teams,” including the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox, have talked to the Padres about dealing for Shields.   

However, Dennis Lin of the San Diego-Tribune reported nothing is imminent.

In his first year with the Padres in 2015 after signing a four-year, $75 million deal (viaSpotrac), Shields went 13-7 with a 3.91 ERA, hardly the kind of numbers from a pitcher making ace money. 

He was just one of a few big offseason deals the Padres made prior to the 2015 season that didn’t yield big rewards.

The Padres hobbled to a 74-88 finish in 2015, which didn’t reflect the kind of roster the team had on paper. 

Pitching had a lot to do with those struggles, as the team’s staff allowed over 4.5 runs per game. Only eight teams in the league allowed more in 2015. 

Due to his sub-par performance in his debut season with the Padres, Shields found himself in the middle of trade talks in December, per Buster Olney:

This came after he cleared waivers in August when the team couldn’t deal him at the trade deadline. 

With the kind of money that he’s set to make, the Padres probably won’t be asking for much in return for Shields. His re-emergence on the trade market could just be another attempt at dumping his salary, per Heyman:

If they can deal Shields, then the Padres could have an opportunity to reinvest their money into building their team to a contender in a loaded National League West with the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks. 

Teams around the league could look at the 34-year-old as a veteran arm that could bolster their respective rotations. The Orioles could put Shields toward the top of the staff to complement Yovani Gallardo, while the Red Sox could have him complement David Price. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com

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The San Diego Padres passed over pitcher James Shields for Opening Day starting duties in favor of Tyson Ross, but Shields insisted it’s not a huge deal.

According to Mike Cranston of the Associated Press (via Yahoo Sports), Shields took it in stride while speaking about the subject Saturday.

“I’ve been in this situation before,” Shields said. “I think in 2011, David Price [in Tampa Bay] took my Opening Day start after three years. And I got it right back the next year.”

Shields was 13-7 with a 3.91 ERA last season, his first in San Diego, while Ross was 10-12 with a 3.26 ERA.

First-year Padres manager Andy Green liked Shields’ attitude, per Cranston.

“He handled it like a pro,” Green said. “And he told Tyson, ‘Hey, it’s your job this year, but I’m coming back for it next year.’ That’s what you want to hear.”

The 34-year-old Shields, who is 127-97 in his career, did see his stats dip last year, allowing the second-most home runs of his career (33). His 93 ERA+ was also lower than Ross’ 112, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

However, there is no reason to think this will hurt Shields. He has been a workhorse throughout his career, throwing at least 200 innings in each of the past nine seasons. 

“Shields might be baseball’s best bet to be on the mound every five days,” Cranston noted.

If anything, it will light a fire under the right-hander, and he’ll come out ready the next day. It’s possible that Green may even be using this to fuel Shields and make sure he is firing on all cylinders for his first start.

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Sources told Baseball Essential’s Robert Murray on Friday that the San Diego Padres have tried to trade outfielder Matt Kemp. 

Continue for updates.

Kemp on the Block

Friday, Feb. 12

In the next four years, he is still owed $86 million. 

One source suggested to Murray that the Padres tried to deal Kemp to the Oakland Athletics, but the A’s were “not yet willing to pull the trigger.”

Kemp batted .265 last season with 23 home runs and 100 RBI. It was the first time since he led the National League in 2011 with 126 RBI that he hit the 100 RBI plateau. He also recorded the first cycle in franchise history against the Colorado Rockies.

However, his .265 average was his worst since his rookie season of 2006 when he played in just 52 games. 

More importantly, he’s shown over the past two seasons that he can stay healthy, as he’s played in over 150 games in each of those years. From 2012-13, he missed a total of 145 games due to injury. 

Kemp’s arrival, along with Justin and Melvin Upton and reliever Craig Kimbrel, didn’t do much to change the Padres’ fortunes in the National League West. For the ninth straight year, the Padres missed the playoffs. 

Because he managed to produce, the Padres might be thinking of selling Kemp while his value remains high before the possibility of injuries or struggles decreases his worth.

After losing Justin Upton to the Detroit Tigers, the Padres’ lineup doesn’t pack much of a punch in a strong NL West that includes the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and a newly loaded Arizona Diamondbacks team that added Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller to their pitching rotation.

Dealing Kemp could bring in some young pieces in an attempt to revamp the team and build toward the future. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com

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According to Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune, citing sources, the San Diego Padres signed utility man Skip Schumaker to a minor league deal on Tuesday.   

As a part of the deal, Schumaker will be invited to major league spring training.

Preparing for his 12th season, Schumaker hit the free-agent market this offseason when the Cincinnati Reds declined a $2.5 million club option, per Lin. 

The 36-year-old made his biggest impact with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he spent the first eight years of his career.

A slap hitter, he provided two seasons of over 150 games in which he batted over .300 from 2008-2009. He also came off of the bench as a part of the Cardinals’ World Series-winning team in 2011 and batted .380 in the playoffs. 

In those 2008 and 2009 seasons, Schumaker appeared in the top 10 among all hitters in singles.

While on the back end of his career with stops in Los Angeles with the Dodgers and with the Reds, Schumaker still provided a lift to his team despite his lack of playing time. 

He holds a career .278 average with a .337 on-base percentage and 905 hits.

Schumaker can play second base as well as the outfield, and according to Lin, he is expected to compete for a roster spot with the big club on the bench. 

Lin noted that 24-year-old Cory Spangenberg will be the favorite for the job at second base, with Alexi Amarista and Jose Pirela backing him up. Bringing in Schumaker, though, creates another option for the Padres at second base in case any of those three struggle during spring training. 

In an outfield that also lost Justin Upton to the Detroit Tigers this offseason, Schumaker can add some depth coming off the bench behind the likes of Matt Kemp, Melvin Upton and John Jay. Along with his winning experience with the Cardinals, Schumaker will be a nice addition to the Padres clubhouse if he’s able to make the team. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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After dealing Craig Kimbrel to the Boston Red Sox in November, the San Diego Padres appear to have found their new closer.

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Padres and reliever Fernando Rodney agreed to terms on a major league deal Wednesday, making him the favorite to lock down the team’s closer role in spring training.

Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reported Rodney signed a one-year deal with an option and performance bonuses that can max it out at $7 million. However, Sanchez added Rodney’s salary for 2016 is in the $1.5 million range.

After going 5-5 with 16 saves in the first half of the 2015 season with the Seattle Mariners, Rodney was traded to the Chicago Cubs on August 27. And while Rodney only made 14 appearances with the Cubs after being designated for assignment by Seattle, he went 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA, 15 strikeouts and four walks. 

“He still has the good fastball, outstanding changeup, and he’s a great teammate,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said when the Cubs acquired Rodney, per the Associated Press (via MLive.com). 

The 38-year-old is entering his 14th year of MLB service, and the Padres could desperately use some of the 2014 magic Rodney displayed with the Mariners. En route to his second career All-Star appearance, Rodney captured a league-best 48 saves while posting a 2.85 ERA.

“While Rodney’s career has been somewhat of a roller coaster, the veteran has posted a cumulative 2.80 ERA over the past four seasons and still averaged a very healthy 94.7 mph on his fastball between time with Seattle and Chicago last season,” Steve Adams wrote for MLB Trade Rumors. 

As Maddon noted, Rodney primarily operates with a two-pitch arsenal.

According to FanGraphs, the veteran tossed fastballs 61.4 percent of the time last season while mixing in his changeup on 38 percent of his pitches. A meager 0.6 percent of Rodney’s pitches were sliders—a component that has faded in and out of his repertoire since his 2002 debut. 

Although Rodney’s not much more than a stopgap solution at 38 years old, he’s a low-risk, high-reward closing option for a Padres team in need of back-end stability after dealing Kimbrel. And as the 2012 and 2014 seasons indicate, there’s still some gas left in Rodney’s arm. 

With a bounce-back season on his mind, Rodney may end up paying dividends for the Padres as a bargain-bin signing. 

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Shortstop Alexei Ramirez will don a new uniform in 2016 for the first time in his eight-year MLB career after signing with the San Diego Padres in free agency Thursday. 

The deal will span one year, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. Financial terms have not yet been disclosed. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports confirmed the report.

Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller broke down the motivation behind San Diego’s move: 

The 34-year-old veteran has spent his entire career with the Chicago White Sox to this point, but after the organization decided to exercise a $1 million buyout rather than pick up his $10 million option, he hit the open market.

Ramirez made the All-Star team for the first time in 2014, as he hit .273 with 15 home runs and 74 RBI, but he failed to build on that fantastic season.

In 2015, Ramirez hit .249 and posted an on-base percentage of .285, both of which were career lows. He did hit 10 homers and drive in 62 runs, however, and his production picked up in the second half of the season, as he hit .277.

In his White Sox tenure, Ramirez was a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner and by and large a defensive stalwart.

Ramirez made it clear that he wanted to return to the team in 2016 and beyond, per Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune.

“It’s kind of tough because I have been here for eight years, and I like this team,” Ramirez said. “I like all of the people who work here. They’re like my family. I don’t want to even think about being on another team. I want to be here, and I want to finish my career here.”

Even though Ramirez had clearly grown attached to the only MLB organization he had ever known, Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago speculated the Cuban infielder would be more willing to sign elsewhere after seeing the high demand for quality shortstops in free agency.

Hayes proved prophetic, which leaves Chicago with a hole at the shortstop position for the first time in many years.

The White Sox have an elite shortstop prospect coming up through the system in Tim Anderson, but the 22-year-old 2013 first-round pick may still be a year or two away from becoming a full-time starter.

Ramirez would have been a viable stopgap until then, but the White Sox knew they were taking the risk of losing him when they decided against picking up his option.

It will be odd to see Ramirez in a new locale in 2016, but complacency tends to creep in when players are in one place for too long, so perhaps changing teams will be the best thing for him moving forward.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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According to Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan on Wednesday, the San Diego Padres have agreed to a one-year deal with reliever Carlos Villanueva with a guarantee of $1.5 million. 

The 32-year-old put up a career season coming out of the bullpen for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015, posting a 2.95 ERA in 35 appearances.    

A change of venue to a successful franchise seemed to do the trick for Villanueva. In his previous eight seasons before the Cardinals, which included stints with the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs, Villanueva never had an ERA under 3.69.

Villanueva was a nice surprise in St. Louis, which signed him to a minor league deal in February 2015. He showed an ability to come out of the pen and contribute solid innings for the Cardinals.

He doesn’t have overpowering stuff, with a fastball topping out at the high 80s. But his slider is his go-to out pitch and has some serious movement when it enters the zone.  

If he can replicate his 2015 numbers, the Padres just received a nice piece for their bullpen, which was inept at times last season. San Diego’s bullpen allowed over 4.5 runs per game and had just 63 holds—sixth-worst in the majors. 

He is one of a few arms that the Padres have acquired this offseason, including Drew Pomeranz and Cesar Vargas, in an attempt to revamp their bullpen.

Villanueva can provide an option in long relief, especially from the fourth through sixth innings if San Diego’s starters spin a bad outing. It’ll allow the Padres an opportunity to get back into games if they fall behind early. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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According to Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the San Diego Padres re-signed right-handed pitcher Brandon Morrow to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training Thursday.

The team has not disclosed the figures of the contract.

Morrow made five starts before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in 2015. It was the only year on his $2.5 million contract with the Padres. The recovery from his shoulder surgery should have him ready for spring training.

It wasn’t the first time he has missed starts in his career. In the past three years, he’s appeared in just 28 games, starting 21 of them.

The 31-year-old has also pitched for the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays, compiling a 44-43 record with a 4.22 ERA. His finest season came in 2012, when he put together a 10-7 record with a 2.96 ERA in 21 starts for the Blue Jays.

When healthy, Morrow brings a fastball that can touch 95 mph with a slider that moves at 90 mph. This allows his changeup, which comes in around the low 80s, to fool opposing hitters. 

San Diego needs all of the help it can get after its starters posted a collective ERA of 4.51 in 2015, the ninth-worst mark in the majors.

Bringing Morrow back is a low-risk move for the Padres. Morrow can reward the team greatly if he is able to come back strong in 2016. On a pitching staff that includes Tyson Ross and an underachieving James Shields, a healthy Morrow could provide a nice presence on the back end of the rotation if he is able to make the team.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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