Padres Have Clear Plan at MLB Trade Deadline, Says ESPN Insider

Never underestimate the abilities of A.J. Preller.

Jul 8, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) shakes hands with general manager A.J. Preller after receiving commemorative memorabilia recognizing his 2,000th hit before a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres are in quite the conundrum in 2026.

The Friars are three games over .500, but have arguably the worst offense in Major League Baseball this season. Their better than average record is in spite of slumping superstars and can be credited to the bullpen's dominance.

As the Padres look to reach the playoffs, president of baseball operations A.J. Preller will have to work his magic at the trade deadline. Last summer, Preller pulled off the deal of the deadline by acquiring Mason Miller from the Athletics.

San Diego acquired the crown jewel of the relief market, but shockingly parted ways with top prospect Leo De Vries in the process. If Preller is willing to let go of one of the best prospects in baseball, it's clear he's willing to do just about anything to get more talent on the field.

What lengths he'll go to remains a mystery, but ESPN's Jeff Passan reports the Padres' plan at the deadline will be to "keep poking the voodoo doll keeping them in contention." For San Diego, that means acquiring a starting pitcher.

Passan believes the Padres will shoot for the moon this summer by pursuing two-time Cy Young Tarik Skubal. That won't be an easy task given the Detroit Tigers will want a hefty return package for the ace, but it wouldn't be a stretch to say the Padres have the means to strike a deal.

Passan explains why Skubal or any starter would be a great fit for the Friars.

"By all objective measures, the Padres should be in the previous category. Their offense is the worst in baseball. Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts all have an OPS below .700. Ty France has been the best offensive player for the Padres this year. The same Ty France the Mariners cut a year ago. To be well over .500 with this sort of an offense is a testament to San Diego's mighty bullpen, which remains the best in baseball," Passan writes.

"For all the offensive foibles, the Padres find themselves pot committed with all of their every-day players on the struggle bus also signed to huge, long-term contracts. The avenue for tangible change, then, is through a rotation waylaid by injury. The Padres don't know what they're going to get out of Joe Musgrove. They don't know what they're going to get out of Nick Pivetta, who, like Musgrove, is on the 60-day IL. If neither is able to contribute, that puts even more of an onus on president of baseball operations A.J. Preller, who has rebuilt his farm system enough to make the kind of trade that can keep San Diego on its current path: toward a postseason run."

Never underestimate an ambitious Preller, who quickly remedied the Padres' early season injury crisis by signing Lucas Giolito. It looks like he'll make another deal to acquire another arm in a few months.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X/Twitter for the latest news.