TRADE: Padres Acquiring Closer From Twins

 

The San Diego Padres had been looking for a proven, reliable reliever for the back end of their bullpen, and this morning, they got one. Completing a trade with the Minnesota Twins, the Padres are sending starter Chris Paddack as part of a package to Minnesota in exchange for Taylor Rogers.

Heading to Padres: Taylor Rogers, earning $7.3M this season, is a potential free agent. Heading to Twins: Chris Paddack, earning $2.25M, is under club control for three seasons. Emilio Pagan, earning $2.3M, is under club control for two.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) April 7, 2022

MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal says Emilio Pagan will also head to the American League Central club along with Paddack. Outfielder Brent Rooker is also going the other way to San Diego.

Rogers has spent his entire 6-year career in Minnesota, where he's served as the Twins closer, and late-inning high-leverage man out of the bullpen. He had 30 saves in 2019 as the full-time stopper, and a total of 50 saves over the past four seasons. 

The 31-year-old left-hander will now reside in the same division as his brother Tyler Rogers, also a high-leverage reliever, for the San Franciso Giants. 

In Paddack, the Twins finally get their man, according to Twins beat reporter Dan Hayes:

#MNTwins have wanted Chris Paddack forever. They get him w/ 3 years of team control.
RHP Emilio Pagán comes w/ 2 years of team control and a high career K-rate.

Taylor Rogers is headed for free agency, nearly dealt him to SD in July.

Brent Rooker was on fence to make 28-man.

— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) April 7, 2022

With 3 years of team control, the Twins receive a young right-hander who burst onto the scene in 2019 with a sensational rookie season, with a 3.33 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and just under 10 strikeouts per nine innings (9.8K/9).

The 26-year-old has struggled however the past two seasons to re-find his groove, last year ballooning to a 5.07 ERA, while his strikeout rate has dipped for two straight seasons. He even lost his spot in the Padres' rotation for this year. 

The Twins are hoping they can return Paddack to his rookie form.

Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports