Padres Manager Hints at 'Difficult' Conversations With Roster Move Looming

After a successful trade deadline for the San Diego Padres, the team now has some decisions to make around the roster.

The Padres traded for multiple pitchers, including two starters: Casey Mize from the Detroit Tigers and Robbie Ray from the San Francisco Giants. San Diego targeted starting pitching, and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller delivered another trade deadline masterclass.

With the additions to the pitching staff, it means that a few players will be removed from the roster. Only three pitchers — left-hander JP Sears and right-handers Jeremiah Estrada and Bradgley Rodriguez — have options. While Sears will almost certainly be demoted, neither Estrada nor Rodriguez will.

Thus, the Padres will need to designate someone for assignment unless there's an unknown injury.

Getting both Mize and Ray gives the Padres more depth to work with, but it also puts manager Craig Stammen in a position to make what he called difficult" decisions.

“We will lose at least two guys off the roster, which is going to be a very difficult decision,” Stammen said. “It’s going to be a very difficult conversation for me, because I can’t think of one person on this roster that hasn’t put their career on the line or their physical health on the line to help our team win, which is pretty darn amazing.”

Who Will the Padres Option/DFA?

Sears can be sent down to the minor leagues without his permission, opening the door for him to likely be moved. The veteran left-hander has served the Padres well, appearing in eight games (six starts), posting a 4.68 ERA.

However, the team will then likely need to DFA one pitcher, which could be between right-handers Germán Márquez and Griffin Canning.

Both pitchers have thrived in their new roles amid the team's "pitching chaos." However, with four starting pitchers, the Padres can go to a more traditional rotation and bullpen.

It appears more likely Canning, who has a 6.58 ERA across 67 innings this season, gets DFA'd. Márquez has a 4.67 ERA over 52 innings.

San Diego could also add a bat to the lineup, with Gage Workman being an option. The Padres landed Workman with Mize from the Tigers, and he'd give them another left-handed hitter.

In 16 games with Detroit, Workman hit .158 with two home runs and five RBIs, while posting an OPS of .553.

The Padres' decision-makers have their work cut out for them, but the difficult decisions come due to good news with the major additions. San Diego has also put itself directly back into the race for a wild-card spot in the National League after a recent hot stretch.

With under two months to go in the regular season, the Padres have to feel good about where this team is. The moves at the trade deadline will bolster their playoff chances, with the starting rotation now becoming a strength rather than a weakness, as it was earlier in the year.

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