Padres’ Trade Moves and Prospects
The San Diego Padres are known for having one of the most proactive executives in baseball: AJ Preller. He’s not one to shy away from making bold moves, especially around the trade deadline. Last summer, for instance, he orchestrated a trade to bring Mason Miller from the Athletics.
What caught many off guard was the return package in that deal. The Padres sent top prospect Leo de Vries along with three other prospects to Oakland. This maneuver signals their ambition for a deep playoff run, with some believing they could contend as soon as 2026.
A bit earlier, the Padres were viewed as frontrunners to land Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal in a significant trade. However, the team’s struggling offense may have put a damper on those discussions.
Currently, the Padres rank at the bottom in batting average, OPS, RBIs, and total bases. Preller is aggressive in his approach, but it seems like pursuing Skubal might be futile if the team’s hitting doesn’t improve.
According to MLB insider Jeff Passan, the Padres’ lack of production could hinder their plans at the trade deadline. He remarked, “This deadline for the Padres is going to be fascinating because, considering the competition from teams like the Dodgers, Braves, and Phillies in the National League, one has to question if Preller would be willing to go all in for Skubal, given the current state of their offense.”
Passan added, “If Ethan Salas is included in a trade, the Tigers should consider it seriously, as he’s likely one of the best prospects they could get. Renting Skubal could be beneficial for a team like this. But then again, if you assess the situation and think, ‘With Skubal in our lineup and our current bullpen, maybe we have a shot,’ it’s tricky. The Padres have really depleted their farm system lately.”
He concluded with some uncertainty, “I’m not sure if this team is actively pursuing Skubal.”
While the Padres had a successful trade deadline last summer, they ultimately fell short in the playoffs, losing to the Cubs in the wild-card round. As the deadline approaches this summer, it remains unclear if Preller can once again work his magic while the team seeks solutions for its outfield troubles.
