Padres' AJ Preller Under Immense Pressure Ahead of Trade Deadline, Says Insider

The San Diego Padres have some big questions to answer around the roster with the MLB trade deadline less than two months away.

Given how strong of a start San Diego saw this season, the front office may want to be aggressive to add, giving this team a chance to win their first-ever World Series. But over the last month-plus, the Padres have fallen back down in the standings, and these struggles could also play into the mindset at the trade deadline.

With A.J. Preller still at the helm, the Padres are always a threat to make major moves due to his aggressive nature. But Preller also has to figure out if this team is worth going all-in for.

Thus, MLB insider Buster Olney believes the Padres president of baseball operations is under tremendous pressure to succeed.

"San Diego has signaled to other teams that it could have some money to spend at the deadline, with new ownership set to take over, and that strategy is in keeping with Preller's generally aggressive style. But he must choose how to use his trade resources," Olney wrote. "Will he prioritize offense in a year in which the Padres have struggled to score? Or could he take a shot at Skubal to give the Padres a rotation that can better set up their excellent bullpen?"

Due to multiple blokbuster trades in recent years (Juan Soto and Mason Miller, to name a few), the Padres' farm system has been decimated. Just a few seasons ago, the Padres had one of the top farms in the league, but now, there are only a few prospects that other teams may be interested in going after.

The debate for Preller is whether this current team is worth selling off players such as catcher Ethan Salas or pitcher Kruz Schoolcraft from the system. These are some of the last big trade chips that the Padres have to offer, so Preller will need to be strategic in his deadline approach.

The Padres have multiple needs to fill at the trade deadline, with hitting and starting pitching being the priorities. San Diego has been linked with some big names already, but whether it makes sense for this team to spend is another question.

Given how poor the offense has been this year, would adding really help this group? Or would the Padres be better off making smaller moves, while hoping their stars finally break out of the slump down the line?

With Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts not getting any younger, it does make sense to go for it this season. But Preller will need to navigate cautiously to avoid breaking the bank, just for the team to fall short again.

This is a fine line that the front office will need to consider over the next month and a half before Aug. 3, when the trade deadline passes by. But nobody around the league should doubt Preller, as he's shown himself to be a force when it comes to making trades.

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