The 21-year old shortstop may be a nice fit in San Diego, however a deal is not close to getting done.
San Diego General Manager A.J. Preller has been notably active this offseason, and despite the fact that pitchers and catchers report at the end of the month, he may not be done yet. According to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Padres have internally discussed trading for Brewers shortstop Luis Sardinas, however the two clubs have not spoken recently.
Sardinas, 21, appeared in 43 games for the Rangers last season and posted a .261/.303/.313 batting line to complement eight RBIs and five stolen bases in 125 plate appearances. He was versatile defensively for the Rangers, seeing time at shortstop, second and third base in his rookie season. Sardinas' age could account for some of his offensive troubles in 2014, and he is regarded as a solid defender who has notable speed.
Sardinas, along with right-handers Corey Knebel and Marcos Diplan, were sent from Texas to Milwaukee two weeks ago in the Yovani Gallardo trade. Preller is familiar with Sardinas, as he worked for Texas before accepting the Padres job.
NBC Sports' D.J. Short notes that it is unclear whether the Brewers would consider trading Sardinas this quickly. However, Milwaukee is seeking bullpen depth, and the Padres may have a few arms to offer. The Brewers are also confident in their middle infield, with Scooter Gennett expected to be the starting second baseman and Jean Segura the starter at shortstop.
If they are unable to add a shortstop before the start of the season, the Padres are expected to use both Alexi Amarista and Clint Barmes at short.
In addition to looking for infield depth, the Padres have also been linked to Cole Hamels and James Shields. Rosenthal notes that he does not believe the Padres have the prospects necessary to complete a deal for Hamels, while he reported the organization is on the periphery of the Shields sweepstakes earlier this week.