Padres Linked to Angels Star Outfielder in Potential Blockbuster Trade

The San Diego Padres might turn to their closest geographical neighbors in Major League Baseball for help in left field.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Padres are one of four teams that line up well with the Los Angeles Angels in a trade for 31-year-old outfielder Taylor Ward.

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Writes Feinsand: "The Angels have been hesitant to trade Ward during the past two years, but with a $7.825 million salary and only one more year of club control, this might finally be the time to move him. Ward is on pace to shatter his personal high in home runs (25 in 2024), belting 18 in his first 69 games this season. The 31-year-old has driven in 47 runs and has a .741 OPS, ranking in the 86th percentile in barrel percentage (14.1%) and the 87th percentile in chase percentage (21.1%)."

Feinsand lists three other teams as potential suitors for Ward if Angels general manager Perry Minasian decides to trade him: The Cleveland Guardians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Kansas City Royals.

If Minasian is more apt to trade with a National League club than one competing with the Angels for a Wild Card berth, that could play in the Padres' favor.

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Ward is known as a streaky hitter. The 2025 season isn't yet halfway over, but this year has proven to be no exception.

At the end of April, Ward owned a .189/.235/.387 slash line, easily among the worst by any hitter in either league.

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In May, Ward slashed .255/.317/.623. His 10 home runs were tied for fourth in all of MLB, behind only Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh, and tied with Kyle Schwarber. He was named American League Player of the Week on May 25.

Through his first 14 games in June, Ward is faring even worse at the plate than he did in April. His .517 OPS is 39 percent below league average, and he hasn't batted higher than fourth in the lineup since June 2.

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Ward is still on track to post an above-average OPS+ (103) for the fifth consecutive season. That's not bad for a player who will make $7.825 million in 2025, and still has a year of arbitration eligibility remaining. That's especially good considering the Padres' precarious position.

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.

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

Ward was a hot commodity at the trade deadline a year ago, connected to both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals in various reports. He again generated trade interest in the offseason, according to Feinsand.

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The Angels ultimately held onto Ward, instead letting outfielder Mickey Moniak go at the end of March. But if Ward winds up on the trading block again, the Padres are a logical fit.

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