Padres Trade Deadline Grades: AJ Preller Does it Again With Season-Altering Additions

AJ Preller has done it again.

For the last few weeks, there was talk about the San Diego Padres potentially being sellers at the trade deadline.

Then, after winning eight of nine games, the Padres were firmly in position for Preller to buy.

However, there was also tons of talk about how the Padres had the worst farm system in baseball and how the new ownership not yet being approved could impact San Diego's plan.

And yet, it was the Padres who came away as one of the deadline's biggest winners.

The Padres made three trades and acquired three pitchers before Monday's deadline. Here are instant grades for each deal, and a trade deadline grade as a whole.

Trade No. 1: Padres Acquire Robbie Ray From Giants

The Padres filled their biggest need early, adding two-time All-Star and former Cy young winner Robbie Ray from the division-rival San Francisco Giants.

Ray has a 3.08 ERA across 122.2 innings this season. Since June 15, he's 6-0 with an MLB-best 1.09 ERA across 49.1 innings.

The Padres gave up two top 10 prospects — right-handed pitcher Miguel Mendez and shortstop Joniel Hernandez — for Ray, who's set to enter free agency at the end of the year. The Giants also ate half of his salary.

Padres Grade: A

Trade No. 2: Padres Acquire Casey Mize, Gage Workman From Tigers

Just before the 3 p.m. deadline, Preller struck with one of the deadline's biggest deals, landing right-handed pitcher Casey Mize and infielder Gage Workman from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for pitching prospects Kash Mayfield and Jackson Wolf.

Mize, an All-Star last year, has a 2.70 ERA and 85 strikeouts across 86.2 innings this season. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft.

Workman may or may not help the Padres this year, while Wolf has struggled mightily in the minor leagues.

Mayfield is the prize, though, as the Padres' top pitching prospect who was drafted in the first round of the 2024 draft.

If Mayfield pans out, this trade could hurt as Mize is a rental. However, in the immediate, the Padres addressed their biggest need and then some.

“We’re trying to win,” Preller said to reporters on a conference call after the deadline “We don’t apologize for it. We’re trying to win championships. We’re trying to get to the postseason, and do it year after year.”

Padres Grade: A-

Trade No. 3: Padres Acquire Hunter Stratton From Pirates

The Padres' final trade went unreported until after the deadline, when they announced the acquisition of right-handed pitcher Hunter Stratton from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for right-hander Andrew Moore.

Stratton, 29, owns a career 3.88 ERA over 62 big league appearances. He has a 3.31 ERA over 32.2 innings in Triple-A this season.

As for Moore, the 26-year-old had a 1.85 ERA across 24.1 innings in Double-A this year, but a 6.14 ERA across 14.2 innings in Triple-A.

Padres Grade: B

Padres 2026 Trade Deadline Grade

The Padres needed to fix the starting rotation, and added two key pitchers.

The Padres wanted to add a left-handed bat, but fell short of that goal.

“Ultimately, it didn’t line up for the left-handed bat, but we do like our options,” Preller said. “We’ve been one of the better offenses in the league over the last month."

The Padres didn't trade top prospect Ethan Salas. They didn't trade All-Star relievers Mason Miller or Adrian Morejon or anyone from the big league roster.

The Padres are a much better team than they were before the deadline and have a serious shot at not only making the postseason, but making some serious noise when they do.

That's all Padres fans could ask for.

Padres Trade Deadline Grade: A-

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