The Los Angeles Dodgers have prioritized shedding short-term salaries this offseason in an effort to stay under the 2018 luxury tax threshold. On Saturday, the club accomplished that goal in one transaction by unloading the contracts of Charlie Culberson, Adrian Gonzalez, Scott Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Matt Kemp.
In order to consummate the blockbuster trade, Gonzalez agreed to waive his no-trade clause with the understanding that the Braves would immediately designate him for assignment and allow him to explore alternative options as a free agent.
The 35-year-old is set to join a crowded market for first basemen that includes the likes of Eric Hosmer, Logan Morrison and Mike Napoli. There doesn’t appear to be a clear destination for Gonzalez, however, given his injury-plagued 2017 season and the plethora of younger options available.
Despite his former ties to the club, the San Diego Padres aren’t likely to consider a reunion with Gonzalez, per Dennis Lin of The San Diego Tribune:
According to sources familiar with the organization’s thinking, the Padres are unlikely to consider a reunion with their former cornerstone.
“The direction we want to go, I don’t really see the fit there,” one official said.
The Padres have long been connected to the top first baseman available this offseason in Hosmer, and are one of the few teams with a need at the position that can match his hefty price tag.
Should Hosmer sign elsewhere, some have speculated that the Padres could circle back to Gonzalez and add him to the fold as a veteran presence. The San Diego native previously enjoyed a five-year stint with the club from 2006-10, where he established himself as one of the best two-way players in baseball.
It should be noted that the Braves remain on the hook for Gonzalez’s $22.3 million salary next season, and any team that takes a flier on the five-time All-Star will likely only have to pay him the league minimum.
