Padres Linked to $4.5 Million Slugger in Potential Trade Deadline Move

The San Diego Padres might turn to a familiar trade partner for help in left field.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Padres are one of three teams that qualify as the best fit in a trade for Miami Marlins outfielder Jesus Sanchez.

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Writes Feinsand: "The cluster of teams in contention for postseason spots means a limited number of sellers, so finding an outfielder to acquire might be difficult. Sánchez — a hard-hitting right fielder with a strong arm — may be one of the better names available. The 27-year-old has six homers, 27 RBIs, seven stolen bases and a .728 OPS in 51 games this season."

Those numbers aren't eye-popping, but the Padres don't need an All-Star to upgrade their in-house assortment of left fielders.

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Through Tuesday, San Diego left fielders had a combined .592 OPS, 27th in MLB. Jason Heyward has spent most of the season on the injured list, and did little to boost that figure when healthy.

None of Heyward's replacements — Tyler Wade, Brandon Lockridge, or Oscar Gonzalez — are adept hitters, while Gavin Sheets is perhaps better suited to DH.

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According to Feinsand, the Padres are also among the teams that line up well with the Los Angeles Angels in a trade for 31-year-old outfielder Taylor Ward. Unlike Sanchez, Ward has spent the majority of his time in left field.

Sanchez is in his sixth major league season, all with the Marlins. He's spent the majority of his time this season in right field (34 starts) but also has experience in center field (eight starts) and left (one).

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Sanchez is owed $4.5 million and has two years of arbitration eligibility remaining. In 498 career games, he's a .242/.310/.427 hitter (100 OPS+).

The Padres have done business with the Marlins before. Last year, they hooked up on a trade for Luis Arraez in May that sent pitcher Woo-Suk Go, utility player Nathan Martorella, and outfielders Dillon Head and Jakob Marsee to Miami.

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Then, at the trade deadline, the Padres acquired closer Tanner Scott and set-up man Bryan Hoeing while sending top pitching prospect Robby Snelling, right-hander Adam Mazur and infielders Graham Pauley and Jay Beshears to the Marlins.

Jim Bowden, writing for The Athletic, recently linked the Padres to both Sanchez and outfielder Kyle Stowers in a trade proposal.

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