Padres' $80 Million All-Star Could Be Traded at Deadline, Says Insider

Over the last few years, the San Diego Padres roster construction has been centered around cutting salary across the board. San Diego spent a lot of money to build its roster out in the early 2020s, but the moves haven't resulted in a World Series title yet, leaving the team looking for answers.

The organization has been forced to trade away star Juan Soto, while letting aces Blake Snell and Dylan Cease walk in free agency, among other players. And as the Padres look ahead to the 2026 season, there could be more shakeups coming to the roster.

According to MLB insider Mike Axisa of CBS Sports, veteran infielder Jake Cronenworth could be a potential trade candidate at the deadline in a few months.

San Diego has been rumored to want to move Cronenworth for some time now, mainly due to his contract and inconsistency at the plate. Just a couple years ago, Cronenworth was an All-Star for this team, but he has fallen back down to earth over the last few years.

In 2025, Cronenworth played in 135 games for the Padres, hitting .246 with 11 home runs and 59 runs batted in. This wasn't the worst season of his career, but when looking at his previous numbers, it's clearly a downgrade.

In 2024, he hit .241 with 17 home runs and 83 runs batted in, playing in 155 games. But his best years came in 2021 and 2022, when he made the All-Star team each season.

The 2021 season was his best year, as it saw him hit .266 with 21 home runs and 71 runs batted in. His 2022 numbers were him hitting .239 with 17 home runs and 88 runs batted in.

After the 2022 season, San Diego rewarded him with a seven-year, $80 million contract extension, but since then, things have gone downhill. Cronenworth still has five more years left — including the 2026 season — on his current deal, and he is scheduled to make $12.2 million each year.

With the Padres having World Series aspirations going forward, moving off the contract of Cronenworth makes a lot of sense. San Diego doesn't want to be tied to him long-term, unless he is able to regain his All-Star form, which seems unlikely at this point.

The one area that Cronenworth has going for him is that he has proven to be a very versatile player on defense, taking on multiple spots within the infield. The infielder has been able to play first base, second base, third base and even some shortstop for the Padres, showing strong defensive skills.

Jake Cronenworth hasn't played shortstop in THREE YEARS.

You'd never know it by watching this play 😳 pic.twitter.com/hCC1ENkNrm
— MLB (@MLB) September 7, 2025

Cronenworth is now 32 years old, so his best days in the big leagues are likely behind him. But he can still provide enough impact on the field that some team could look to trade for him.

The Padres are unlikely to move off of Cronenworth in the immediate, but come the trade deadline, he could potentially be a name to watch — especially if the Padres want to add a starting pitcher.

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