Ex-GM Proposes Padres Land Mets All-Star for Top Prospect Kash Mayfield

The San Diego Padres have multiple needs heading into the Aug. 3 trade deadline this summer.

The team needs both offensive help and more starting pitching, giving president of baseball operations A.J. Preller some serious work to do.

San Diego could be getting a few guys back from injury over the next few weeks, but Preller may also want to add insurance options just in case.

One name that has been circling around the Padres this summer is starting pitcher Freddy Peralta of the New York Mets. The Padres were very interested in acquiring Peralta this past offseason before he was ultimately traded to New York.

Now, former MLB general manager Jim Bowden of The Athletic has proposed a trade for the Padres to land Peralta ahead of the deadline. Bowden has San Diego sending out their No. 4-ranked prospect, Kash Mayfield, in exchange for the two-time All-Star.

"The Padres’ pitching room is excellent, and perhaps they’ll find the special sauce to fix what has ailed Peralta this season. Of course, the deal would have to include a physical and MRI to make sure that an injury isn’t the cause of his poor season," Bowden wrote.

"If the Padres decide they want to go for it, this is the type of deal they’ll need to make, in hopes they can turn Peralta back into the pitcher he was a year ago."

Should the Padres Trade for Freddy Peralta?

Peralta's move to the Mets was seen as one of the bigger trades from the offseason, but things just haven't worked out.

The right-hander has made 21 starts this season, sporting an ERA of 5.01 over 109.2 innings.

The veteran is seen as one of the better bounce back candidates around the league, and is almost certain to move at the deadline ahead of his impending free agency. At best, Peralta could turn back into the All-Star ace that he was last season, and at worst, the Padres get someone who can eat innings.

San Diego's bullpen has seen a heavy workload this season, and adding Peralta could help ease the burden down the stretch. The right-hander could be the arm that the Padres have been searching for all season, and his presence would be welcomed into this starting rotation.

Since Peralta will be a free agent at the end of the season, the cost to land him would not be as high as other pitchers. His performance this year will also impact the return for the Mets, opening the door for the Padres to potentially land an All-Star arm at a cheaper cost.

Given where the Padres are in the standings, a move for Peralta would help the playoff cause while not completely selling the farm. Thus, Peralta makes a lot of sense for the Padres as a potential trade target.

Who is Kash Mayfield?

The Padres selected Mayfield in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft, and he is currently playing at High-A. Mayfield has great upside to his game, with the lefty showing out at Single-A, posting an ERA of 2.97 in his first season.

This year, Mayfield has registered an ERA of 3.20 over 14 starts, punching out 59 batters over 50.2 innings. As he's gotten more reps, Mayfield has shown better control of his pitches, which should help his development.

Mayfield dealt with some velocity problems, with the lefty seeing his fastball go down to 90-92 mph in the California League. This is one of the areas of concern for the left-hander, but at 21 years old, he has plenty of time to continue his development.

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