Justin Upton Contract: Latest News and Rumors on Negotiations with Padres

On the heels of a blockbuster trade that sent Justin Upton to the San Diego Padres, the slugger might be looking to sign a new contract with the franchise.  

Jim Duquette of MLB.com passed along the latest on the possible trade talks between the two sides:

Upton, 27, showed off his power over the last two seasons with the Atlanta Braves, hitting a combined .267/.348/.478 over that stretch. After coming over from the Arizona Diamondbacks, Upton proved his worth with 27 or more home runs each season.

However, Atlanta apparently wasn't looking to keep the two-time Silver Slugger winner long term, via Jim Bowden of ESPN:

Making a deal for Upton was just the latest move for the Padres this offseason. San Diego has been busy all winter by bringing in the likes of Matt Kemp and Wil Myers along with several others via trade.

If San Diego can find a way to extend Upton, it would have control of two superstars for an extended period. Kemp is under contract until 2019, via Spotrac, while Myers is the youngest player and already won the Rookie of the Year award in 2013.

Needless to say, the future already looks bright for the Padres. Keeping Upton's big bat in the lineup along with Kemp and Myers would make San Diego a competitive team for years to come.

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