The San Diego Padres signed a veteran shortstop before last season in Alexei Ramirez and might be repeating the process this winter.
According to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com, the Padres have engaged free agent Erick Aybar in preliminary talks.
The 11-year veteran is coming off the worst statistical season of his career, one that saw him slash .243/.303/.320 in 126 games with the Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers. Aybar's strikeout rate nearly doubled from the previous season, and his defensive metrics also suffered.
However, Cassavell suggests that the Padres might still view him as an upgrade over internal options Luis Sardinas and Jose Rondon, the only other shortstops on their 40-man roster.
Sardinas slashed .287/.353/.417 in 34 games with the Padres last season after being acquired in a mid-August trade with the Seattle Mariners, but Padres GM A.J. Preller told Cassavell that "there are some things he needs to work on, some areas he needs to improve with." Rondon is San Diego's No. 12 prospect and is not quite major league ready, per Cassavell.
Aybar turns 33 next month.
-- Nick Ostiller
