Padres Manager Sends Message to Players Ahead of Trade Deadline

The MLB trade deadline is just under a month away on Aug. 3.

However, don't tell San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen that the deadline is quickly approaching.

Stammen recently said that the trade deadline was "far away" and that he didn't want his players to get caught up in all the distractions. But with the Padres in the midst of a free fall, players can only hold back thoughts for so long.

“I don’t think they’re thinking about it yet,” Stammen said. “When it gets closer, obviously all the reports come out of different names being thrown out, my only thing for them is 99% of it, all the stuff that’s written is not true, you know, and most of the things that do happen are things that nobody knows about, or they’re pretty obvious.

"So, you know, in the end we gotta go out and compete every single day, and the more we get focused on that, the better off we’ll be.”

The Padres are expected to be one of the more active teams at the trade deadline this year, with the team having the potential to go in multiple directions.

Some believe that the Padres could look to sell players, looking toward the future as the season spirals. But others have predicted that president of baseball operations A.J. Preller could elect to go all-in, just like he has in the past. Preller has a reputation as an executive who can pull off aggressively creative deals that nobody saw coming.

Who Could the Padres Target at the Trade Deadline?

With the Padres needing help in multiple areas, Preller could look to knock out the problems in one massive trade. San Diego desperately needs more offensive firepower, with the team being ranked toward the bottom of the league in just about every key offensive area.

Players such as Luis Arraez of the San Francisco Giants, Jo Adell of the Los Angeles Angels, Jarren Duran of the Boston Red Sox and others have been linked with the Padres. Preller will likely add some offense to this team, giving them a better chance to move forward in the season.

The Padres also could use more help in both the starting rotation and bullpen, with the relief arms being overworked early in the season.

Starters such as Sonny Gray from the Boston Red Sox, Freddy Peralta of the New York Mets, Seth Lugo of the Kansas City Royals and others have all been connected to the Padres. As for relievers, closer Aroldis Chapman has been the big name on the trade board, with the team being linked to him a few times.

San Diego should also be getting some guys back from injury after the All-Star break, with starters Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta expected to pitch again this season. This could see Preller hold steady a little, especially if the team believes the two guys can contribute right away.

Overall, the Padres will be one of the more interesting teams at the trade deadline, and while Stammen may not want guys to be focused on it, it's tough for players not to think about.

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