The San Diego Padres are on the verge of landing the biggest prize on the trade market.
The Padres are close to acquiring pitcher Max Scherzer in a trade with the Washington Nationals, Ken Rosental of The Athletic reports.
It is believed that Scherzer would prefer to be traded to a West Coast team, and the right-hander has a full no-trade clause. The Padres were said to be one of three West Coast teams that were finalists for Scherzer. For what it’s worth, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman says at least one other team remains in the mix.
Padres are working hard to try to reach agreement on a Scherzer deal with Nats. They may be in the lead but no sense the Dodgers or others are out yet. Also very important; in the end, while Scherzer will consider these finalists, with full veto rights, he can call the shot.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 29, 2021
Scherzer is 8-4 with a 2.76 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 111 innings this season. The 37-year-old recently had an injury scare, but the Nationals may have been using precaution as they worked to trade him.
The Padres are 59-45 and 5.5 games behind the San Francisco Giants in the NL West. Scherzer is the exact type of trade deadline splash that could get them over the hump. They could become one of the most dangerous teams in the NL down the stretch.
