Padres Expected to Target Big-Name Catcher Ahead of Trade Deadline

The San Diego Padres are expected to be one of the more active teams ahead of the upcoming MLB trade deadline, with the front office trying to patch major holes along the roster.

But the big question within the front office is how best to approach the trade deadline, specifically how aggressive the team should be.

With the Padres falling back down to earth over the last few weeks from the hot start to the season, it could have the organization rethinking some things.

However, A.J. Preller still runs the show, and as long as he is in charge, the Padres will be a big player in different trade rumors. And it seems that San Diego has been linked to an All-Star catcher that Preller may have his eye on.

According to MLB insider Robert Murray of FanSided, the Padres could target Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles.

"Could they swing big and attempt to pry, say, Adley Rutschman out of Baltimore? I have a hard time seeing the Orioles trading Rutschman, but knowing Preller, targeting a big name behind the plate who is controllable sounds like something he’d do. Will he call? Surely. Will he be successful? I doubt it," Murray wrote.

If not Rutschman, it sounds like the Padres could be targeting a big-name catcher in general.

Should the Padres Target Adley Rutschman?

If the Padres were to go after Rutschman, it would solve the catcher of the future issue. San Diego does have Ethan Salas in the minor leagues, but he isn't ready to be called up just yet.

Rutschman is a two-time All-Star who has been very good in his early MLB career. When healthy, Rutschman is one of the better catchers in the game today, so it's natural that San Diego would be trying to land his services.

This season, Rutschman has hit .267 with eight home runs and 36 runs batted in, while posting an OPS of .832. The 28-year-old catcher still has one more year left of club control, so the Padres wouldn't be getting a rental.

If the Padres were to get Rutschman without giving up Salas, then Preller could look to move Salas for another big trade chip. Salas has been rumored to likely have to be involved in any trade for ace Tarik Skubal, so the Padres could potentially land multiple stars if Preller were to play his cards right.

The one issue with making a trade for someone like Rutschman is that the Padres farm system is already fairly decimated from other deals. San Diego may be better off making some minor deals, keeping the few solid prospects in place.

Overall, Rutschman would be a fantastic addition for the Padres, but the cost may outweigh the return. This Padres team has multiple areas of need, and unless Preller can fill them all at the trade deadline, setting the organization up for the future makes more sense.

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