Could José Berríos Be a Trade Fit for the Padres?

Last offseason, the San Diego Padres watched many key players put on different jerseys, and this offseason could look very similar.

With Dylan Cease signing with the Blue Jays for seven years, $210 million, that leaves Michael King, Ryan O’Hearn, and Robert Suarez as the remaining key free agents. Unfortunately, for the Friar Faithful, there is a slim chance any of them will return. 

With the Winter Meetings getting underway, the Padres have serious work to do. The acquisitions of Mason Miller, Freddy Fermin, and Ramon Laureano arguably shaped the 2026 roster. However, there are still plenty of holes to fill, mainly in the rotation. 

Uncharacteristically, A.J. Preller didn’t make any big splashes at last year’s Winter Meetings. But with his track record, there is always a chance that he pulls off the unthinkable.

Odds are that he doesn’t move mountains this time around. There are two reasons for that. The first one is that the Padres have very little trade capital on their major league and minor-league rosters, and the second is the payroll situation. 

Preller will have to get creative to rebuild the rotation, and targeting starting pitcher José Berríos could be the first step.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Blue Jays are open to moving Berríos, a development that immediately positions him as one of the more realistic trade candidates for San Diego.

Why José Berríos Makes Sense for the Padres

The Padres’ rotation depth has evaporated in the last few months. I already mentioned Cease signing with the Blue Jays, and there is a high likelihood that King doesn’t resign either. And it is a for sure fact that Yu Darvish will miss next season recovering from elbow surgery.

The rotation beyond Nick Pivetta gets bleak, quickly. After bringing in Kyle Hart, this is what the current rotation depth chart looks like:

• RHP Nick Pivetta
• RHP Joe Musgrove
• RHP Randy Vasquez
• LHP JP Sears
• LHP Kyle Hart
• RHP Matt Waldron
• RHP Miguel Mendez

This is not a five-man rotation that can compete for a championship, let alone in a crowded NL West. This is where Berríos can come into play.

There is one thing for certain with Berríos, and it is that he will take the mound every fifth day. Since 2018, he’s started at least 30 games and routinely cleared 170 innings. His 234 games and 1367 ⅓ innings lead Major League Baseball in that span. 

The durability alone presents serious value for a rotation that is extremely thin. 

There are some concerns outside of durability, with drops in metrics leading to a home run problem. But to be completely honest, I trust pitching coach Ruben Niebla to get the most out of anyone. Under his tutelage, there have been multiple career turnarounds, Pivetta being the most recent example.

Berríos still has some juice, and I think Niebla can get him right. 

Now the question is, who would Preller send over to Toronto? My proposition would be a one-for-one trade involving Jake Cronenworth. 

Why Would It Have To Be Cronenworth Who Gets Traded

I would suggest that the Padres dig into their farm system to land Berríos, but it has been bled dry. Turning to the major-league roster, Fernando Tatis Jr. has been brought up in potential blockbusters, but there isn’t a world where he is moved. The same can be said for Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill, and Xander Bogaerts. 

There have been some talks about Luis Campusano potentially being moved, but I don’t think there can be any sort of return that would make you excited. 

That leaves Jake Cronenworth as the most realistic trade chip.

His long-term contract isn’t an obstacle as much as it is cost certainty. For a club like Toronto, Cronenworth’s versatility — first base, second base, emergency shortstop — and left-handed bat would be attractive in a platoon-heavy lineup. His contract is team-friendly, and his floor as a player is an above-average major league player.

Why The Blue Jays Would Say Yes

After recently signing resurging KBO pitcher Cody Ponce, there’s a legitimate chance José Berríos could be pushed out of the starting rotation altogether. Toronto has more starters than openings, and for roughly $22 million a year, Berríos becomes an extremely expensive sixth starter 

More importantly, Cronenworth gives Toronto flexibility in multiple ways. 

Financially, he is owed $12 million annually for the remaining five years of his deal, a figure that is almost certainly lower than what Bo Bichette will command on his next contract. By replacing Bichette’s future salary obligation with Cronenworth’s more modest one, the Jays could redirect spending elsewhere, potentially opening the door for a major pursuit of someone like Kyle Tucker. 

On the field, Cronenworth’s value multiplies. He has the defensive versatility to play all over the infield and his bat is strong enough to slot in as a designated hitter when needed. At worst, he profiles as a useful platoon option against right-handed pitching; at best, he’s an everyday contributor who lengthens the lineup. 

Final Thoughts

Berríos won’t be the frontline ace or first base starter that the Padres lack, but he can be the start to rebuilding the rotation and would comfortably be the team’s third-best starter.

Given the current market and the limited number of impact starters realistically available, he stands out as one of the better, more attainable options. His iron man track record and occasional upper-rotation stuff would be enormous for San Diego. 

Yes, moving a fan-favorite in Cronenworth would hurt. But the lack of viable trade options makes him the most logical candidate if they want to acquire someone like Berríos. 

The financials also line up cleanly. Berríos is owed $67 million over the next three seasons, while Cronenworth is set to earn $60 million across five years. The Padres take on a shorter, more expensive commitment for a much-needed starting pitcher, and the Blue Jays absorb a longer but more affordable contract for a versatile everyday contributor.

The bottom line is that it’s exponentially easier to find a solid rotation arm than it is to find a serviceable utility man. If the Padres want to take a step toward contention in 2026, leveraging Cronenworth might be the most realistic path.