Padres 'Heavily' Scouting National League Team Ahead of Trade Deadline

Major League Baseball's trade deadline is Monday at 3 p.m. PT.

Given the needs of the San Diego Padres — pitching help and more offense — and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller's aggressiveness in trades, the Friars are a team to watch.

The Padres have been linked with all sorts of players so far, but it seems that the front office may have their eyes set on making a deal with a certain National League team.

According to Padres insider Kevin Acee, the team has been heavily scouting the New York Mets as the deadline approaches. New York has a few pitchers who could help the Padres out greatly in the stretch run of the season.

"Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta (4.99 ERA) is owed $2.4 million after Aug. 3 and has been on the Padres’ radar for his ability to eat innings," Acee wrote. "His Mets teammate, Clay Holmes, who is set to come off the injured list after missing nearly three months with a fractured fibula, is owed $3.8 million after the deadline. The Padres have scouted the Mets heavily."

Should the Padres Make a Trade With the Mets?

Starter Freddy Peralta has been a wanted commodity of the Padres since last offseason, and with the Mets likely trading him, San Diego could look to strike. While Peralta's time with New York hasn't gone well, he is seen as a perfect bounce back candidate around the league.

The right-hander still has a strong ability to go deep into games, something that could help ease the burden of the Padres' bullpen. Peralta could use a change of scenery, and putting him into a winning environment could help unlock the ace status he had a year ago.

With Peralta being a free agent after the season, the cost to land him would be lower than other options. But he isn't the only pitcher on the Mets who could intrigue the Padres' front office.

Right-hander Clay Holmes is also a player of interest as he works his way back from injury. Holmes has been out since May after suffering a fractured fibula, but his last rehab start went well, with multiple teams scouting him.

Since joining the Mets as a starting pitcher, Holmes has performed well. The former reliever recorded a 2.39 ERA over nine starts before his injury this year, giving hope that he can continue his strong performance.

Holmes will also likely be a free agent after the season, with him eligible to opt out of a $12 million player option next year. The veteran could be a solid pickup for San Diego, assuming he's healthy, and he's a proven playoff pitcher, posting a 1.35 ERA in 19 appearances.

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