The San Diego Padres were very aggressive in signing their core to contracts, and it may have come back to hurt them. Their payroll levels are at an extraordinarily high level, and it's been reported that the team is looking to shed salary this winter.
Unfortunately for them, this comes after a tough season that saw them miss the postseason. The team has explored different ways to reduce salary, including looking into trading away first baseman Jake Cronenworth.
However, one insider believes that he may be untradeable due to his contract and lack of production. Jim Bowden of The Athletic broke down the issue with Cronenworth.
"Cronenworth’s seven-year, $80 million extension looked good when he signed it last spring, but his dismal 2023 season — his production was down across the board as he batted .229 with only 10 homers — makes that contract untradeable. However, if he rebounds and has strong ’24 and ’25 seasons, anything can happen. He’s still a versatile player. He is never going to hit for a high average, but he should get back to 17- to 20-home run power. He just doesn’t profile well for first base."
The 2023 season wasn't kind to the Padres infielder, and there isn't much hope for massive improvement. The team was expecting him to continue building off his 2022 season, but he went completely in the wrong direction.
While he can always bounce back, the Friars don't have time to waste. They can't afford another poor season, and they are on the hook for his contract through the 2030 season.
If they could find a way to get off his contract, it would be a start to helping their payroll problems. But things don't look great for the Padres with Cronenworth. The best they can hope for is that he improves, and the entire team can mask any issues with a stronger season.
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