MLB Trade Deadline: Four Padres that make sense for Cubs

Mar 10, 2015; Peoria, AZ, USA; A San Diego Padres hat and glove are seen in the dugout against the San Francisco Giants at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

With less than 24 hours until Major League Baseball’s annual non-waiver trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs remain quiet.

While the Toronto Blue Jays have went ‘all-in,’ acquiring Troy Tulowitzki and David Price and the Houston Astros showed they’re for real in adding Carlos Gomez and Scott Kazmir, Chicago has not yet made a single move.

That being said, multiple reports indicate that the Cubs front office has been talking – to some degree – with the San Diego Padres, a team that appears to be poised to sell big before Friday’s deadline.

So who could be headed back to the young and hungry Chicago Cubs in a deal with the Friars?

Next: Jedd Gyorko

Jul 6, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; San Diego Padres second baseman Jedd Gyorko (9) fields a ground ball against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at PNC Park. The Pirates won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Jedd Gyorko – Infielder

A former second-round pick of the Padres, Gyorko has been a near-complete failure during his big league career.

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In parts of three seasons in San Diego, he carries a dismal .229/.289/.383 slash-line. He is, by most measures, a sub-par second baseman defensively and since his rookie campaign back in 2013, he’s failed to produce much value at the dish either.

In that rookie season, Gyorko clubbed 23 homers and drove in 63 runs. He was a 2.2 WAR player for the Padres – but since, it’s been a different story.

Sure, he hit 10 long-balls last year for San Diego, but his .612 OPS was over 120 points lower than in his rookie season, and the worst part isn’t even his production (or lack thereof).

It’s his contract.

Gyorko is signed through 2019 on a $35 million deal. That sounds like a bargain. But take into account his struggles since his rookie season and it looks like a bloated, short-sighted move by the former San Diego regime.

Next: Andrew Cashner

Jun 16, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Andrew Cashner (34) pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the second inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Andrew Cashner  – Starting Pitcher

Traded to the Padres in the deal that brought two-time All-Star Anthony Rizzo to the Cubs, Cashner has all the stuff of a front-line starting pitcher.

He regularly sits in the mid-to-upper 90s with his fastball and, at times, seems like he is ready to break out and put San Diego on his back.

Will the Cubs and Padres get together on a blockbuster?

This season, at first glance, you may think he’s struggled. That is, if you’re still relying on a pitcher’s win-loss record as an indicator of success.

Already with 10 losses under his belt, the right-hander boasts a respectable 3.93 ERA, 3.78 FIP and 1.311 WHIP. While it’s certainly not a horrible performance for a guy making just $4 million this season, it’s a far cry from what many considered to be his breakout campaign in 2014.

Last year, the former Cubs prospect pitched to a career-best 2.55 earned run average and 3.21 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 19 starts spanning 123 1/3 innings of work.

So which version of Cashner is what you should expect?

Next: Tyson Ross

Jun 26, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Tyson Ross (38) pitches during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Tyson Ross – Starting Pitcher

Under team control for two-plus seasons, the right-hander Ross has been the most oft-linked Padres player tied to the Cubs in recent rumors.

Chicago desperately needs to add a starting pitcher to shore up its rotation for the stretch run and Ross could be the best fit for the ball club.

The right-hander has already made 22 starts for San Diego this season, pitching to an impressive 2.89 FIP – despite walking a league-worst 61 batters in 127 2/3 innings. While the control is concerning, his ability to work around it is even more promising.

Last season, Ross earned his first All-Star selection, narrowly missing the 200-inning mark for the Friars, winning a career-high 13 games in the process.

Adding a piece like the San Diego righty could do a lot to shore up a Cubs rotation that has been barely serviceable at the back end so far this season.

Next: Craig Kimbrel