Padres 'untradeable' $280 million infielder is going to be a problem for a while

Padres will be stuck with Xander Bogaerts for a while

The Padres aren't likely to find any trade partners for Bogaerts, as the shortstop is not likely to stick at the position for long as he ages.

He's 33 years old already, and his defense hasn't gotten any better over time. And if his athleticism fades as it does for everyone as they age, this $280 million contract for a shortstop will be a tough one to deal with.

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A.J. Preller can get creative, but barring Bogaerts moving to a different position and finding success, and his offensive output over the next few years staying above a 100 OPS+, it's going to be a long next seven seasons with Bogaerts under contract.

This season, he's playing fairly well with a 118 OPS+ in 39 games. But, because his defense hasn't been great, he's only put up 0.8 bWAR.

With the likelihood of a trade for Bogaerts near zero, the Padres will be stuck with an infielder who is on a big contract that is likely to regress for the next seven and a half seasons. It might be fine for now, but as he approaches his 40's, it's going to be tough.

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