As Ian Desmond inched closer toward MLB free agency during his final year with the Washington Nationals in 2015, many rumors linked the shortstop to the San Diego Padres. Such a scenario was regarded as a logical fit and it appears as if it could become a reality.
The Padres are in need of a shortstop and Desmond, one of the best in the MLB, is still available due to this year's deep free agent class.
"The San Diego Padres are having ongoing discussions with the agent for free-agent shortstop Ian Desmond, according to major-league sources. While there's a natural fit between the parties, no deal appears close - yet," writes FOX Sports' Jon Morosi.
"The Padres were able to acquire a long-term solution at shortstop when they landed Javier Guerra from the Red Sox in the Craig Kimbrel trade. But they still need a short-term plug-in there, and Ian Desmond would be a solid fit for them," adds ESPN's Jim Bowden. "His value has gone way down since March, and the Padres could take advantage of that with a 'pillow' type of contract, a one-year deal that would give Desmond the chance to re-establish his value before hitting the free-agent market again next year."
Desmond, who reportedly rejected a $107 million extension from the Nationals two offseasons ago, is still unsigned this offseason despite being the best shortstop available and one of the most productive since 2012. However, he endured one of the worst campaigns of his career in 2015 after batting .233/.290/.384 with 69 runs scored, 19 home runs and 62 RBI in addition to 27 errors in the field.
Many MLB experts predicted Desmond to land a contract in the $80-$90 million range, but ESPN's Buster Olney first opined if it'd be a better idea for the veteran to sign a one-year deal for 2016 and enter next offseason when the demand for free agents will be much higher due to the dearth of talent among that class. While such an idea seems unlikely as many MLB veterans are looking to cash in on long-term deals, it could be something Desmond is at least pondering due to the lack of interest in his services this deep into the offseason. And being that the Padres have some payroll restrictions, they could be discussing a short-term deal with Desmond in the reported talks.
It's clear Alexi Amarista, who managed an NL-worst .544 OPS in 2015, is not the answer for San Diego at shortstop. However, the Padres will need to get Desmond at the right price. It's possible they're moving in the right direction, but this offseason has been full of surprises and it wouldn't be shocking if another MLB club such as the Chicago White Sox came out of nowhere with a long-term offer for Desmond.
