Inside The Padres

Later MLB Trade Deadline Could Shape the Padres’ 2026 Strategy

After years of a July deadline, MLB is pushing the midsummer frenzy back to August. How does this affect the Padres in 2026?
Gregory Spicer|
Sep 9, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Mason Miller (22) celebrates after striking out a batter during the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park.
Sep 9, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Mason Miller (22) celebrates after striking out a batter during the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

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San Diego Padres

MLB has announced that the trade deadline will happen later than usual in 2026. After years of operating under a July 31 cutoff, the league is pushing the deadline back to Monday, Aug. 3, at 3 p.m. PT.

The specific time was set for the “evening” to avoid players being traded midgame and creating awkward dugout scenes. For the Padres, playing on the West Coast, the deadline will still arrive in the late afternoon.

San Diego will wrap up a series finale against the Giants on Aug. 2 before traveling to Arizona on Aug. 3 to open a four-game series against the Diamondbacks, with game one being set for 6:40 p.m. PT. That Aug. 2 game could be the final appearance in a Padres uniform for several players, as general manager A.J. Preller has a long history of being aggressive at the deadline.

Last season may have been Preller’s most active deadline yet. He added superstar closer Mason Miller, All-Star Ryan O’Hearn, outfielder Ramón Laureano and pitcher J.P. Sears in two trades with the Orioles and Athletics. In return, San Diego dealt two prospect-heavy packages headlined by Leo De Vries, the No. 4 prospect in baseball.

With a later deadline in 2026, Preller will have more runway than ever to pursue blockbuster deals if the roster looks capable of making an October run. That’s notable given how quiet the offseason has been for a typically aggressive Padres front office.

The club retained Michael King on a three-year, $75 million contract and added Korean star Sung-Mon Song on a four-year deal, but those moves haven’t offset the departures of Dylan Cease, Luis Arraez and O’Hearn.

If the roster manages to stay competitive through the first half, expect Preller to reward the group with multiple significant additions. History suggests he prefers midseason action anyway. Players such as Juan Soto, Tanner Scott, Adam Frazier and Josh Bell were all acquired at past trade deadlines.

If the first half goes poorly, however, the Aug. 3 deadline could mark the Padres’ first steps toward a rebuild or retool since 2019. With limited payroll flexibility, just one top-100 prospect and several roster holes, Preller may be forced to reshape the organization if on-field results fall short.

That said, superstars Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado are under contract well beyond 2030, which could point more toward a retool than a full teardown.

Either way, the newly announced deadline date is one Padres fans should circle on the calendar. Whether it becomes another stage for Preller to swing big or the start of organizational restructuring, Aug. 3 is shaping up to be a pivotal day.

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Gregory Spicer
GREGORY SPICER

Greg Spicer resides in San Diego, California, after growing up in Chicago where baseball was a constant presence throughout his life. He attends San Diego State University, gaining experience working for MLB teams in both Chicago and San Diego through stadium and game-day operations, while also covering athletics at SDSU. A White Sox fan who has since embraced Padres fandom, Greg has covered football, collegiate sports, MLB and the NBA for multiple outlets, including Fox 5/KUSI, before starting at On SI.

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