Padres Blockbuster Trade Idea Lands Mets All-Star Pitcher for Ethan Salas, More

The San Diego Padres are in need of a starting pitcher in light of Nick Pivetta landing on the injured list with a flexor strain in his right elbow.

Manager Craig Stammen believes Pivetta's injury could propel president of baseball operations A.J. Preller into action.

"A.J. and aggressive are synonyms," Stammen said earlier this week.

"A.J.'s going to do his thing. He's already done his thing with this roster. He's put together a great roster and he never stops thinking about it, never stops trying to improve it. That's why it's fun to work with A.J. and be in the fight with him."

The Padres have already begun their pursuit of another hurler, with the team reportedly showing interest in free agent pitcher Lucas Giolito. The right-hander posted a 3.41 ERA with 121 strikeouts across 145 innings pitched for the Boston Red Sox last season.

Giolito has been linked to the Padres for the last few months, so it appears he remains a candidate to join the starting rotation in San Diego.

A less likely scenario is a blockbuster trade idea from Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, who proposed the New York Mets deal ace Freddy Peralta to the Padres since they are struggling and he is an impending free agent.

In return, the team would send top catching prospect Ethan Salas, outfielder Ryan Wideman and right-handed pitcher Tucker Musgrove to Queens.

"The idea of the Mets flipping Freddy Peralta just months after acquiring him in a blockbuster deal with the Brewers might seem outlandish, but it's the reality of the situation for an upcoming free agent with blockbuster value," Reuter writes.

"It's also not uncharted territory for the Mets, who just a few years ago traded Justin Verlander to the Astros before he completed his first full season with the team, cutting their losses after spending big in free agency.

"A more team-friendly $8 million salary and frontline production make Peralta a more valuable trade chip than Verlander, and teams will be lining up with offers if he is made available."

Reuter acknowledges the trade is somewhat far-fetched given the Mets just acquired Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers. Additionally, losing Peralta would destabilize the Mets' starting rotation — so why would the organization hand the ace over to the Padres?

Mets owner Steve Cohen has been very vocal about the team's spending and desire to play deep into October in 2026. The team has gotten off to a nightmare start with a 7-14 record and superstar Juan Soto on the injured list. The Mets have currently lost 10 in a row.

Therefore, there's a ton of pressure on the Mets to improve as the season progresses after a whirlwind offseason that saw them lose several fan favorites like Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns responded to the loss of key players by signing infielder Jorge Polanco and trading for outfielder Luis Robert Jr. and Peralta. While this trade is beneficial for the Padres, it's unclear how beneficial it is for the Mets' playoff hopes in 2026.

At this rate, though, the Mets could very well be selling by the deadline. The Padres, on the other hand, will very likely be buying as they make another playoff push.

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