Padres prepare for aggressive trade deadline stance despite offensive slump
Analysts question the strategy given the team’s last-place offensive rankings, depleted farm system, and significant financial commitments to underperforming stars.
The San Diego Padres are preparing to act as buyers at the upcoming MLB trade deadline, with club president A.J. Preller expected to pursue significant acquisitions. This strategy is being pursued despite a recent slump in which the team lost 11 of its last 13 games. As of the latest reports, the Padres hold a 33-31 record, placing them half a game out of a playoff spot. The Athletic has reported that the club is gearing up to be buyers in July, aiming to bolster a roster that has made the playoffs in four of the last six seasons but has not advanced to the World Series since 1998.
The decision has drawn scrutiny from analysts due to the team’s severe offensive struggles. The Padres rank last in Major League Baseball in batting average (.214), on-base percentage (.289), slugging percentage (.355), and runs scored (3.77 per game). Among regular hitters, only Gavin Sheets and Ty France have posted above-average OPS+ figures. The offensive woes are compounded by heavy financial commitments to high-profile players, including Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Xander Bogaerts, whose underperformance has limited the club’s trade flexibility.
Tatis, who is on pace for 1.5 WAR this season, has eight years and nearly $272 million remaining on his contract. Machado holds seven years and almost $275 million left on his deal, while Bogaerts, hitting at an 83 OPS+, is under contract for seven more years and $178 million. These long-term obligations make it difficult for other teams to absorb their salaries, effectively locking the Padres into their current framework. Additionally, young star Jackson Merrill is in the first year of a 10-year, $156 million deal but has struggled significantly this season.
Pitching concerns further complicate the club’s outlook. The rotation is described as paper-thin, with Yu Darvish potentially done for the season and Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta dealing with elbow injuries that keep them from returning. Walker Buehler and Lucas Giolito have performed mediocrily, while Griffin Canning has struggled. Although the bullpen is considered strong, the lack of starting pitching depth leaves the team vulnerable. The farm system, which was ranked last by MLB.com heading into the spring, offers little immediate help, especially after the club surrendered six prospects for Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano last season.
Despite these challenges, the Padres remain in contention, sitting just half a game out of a playoff spot in a season with a dearth of elite teams. Selling would require moving assets like closer Mason Miller or pitcher Michael King, but the team’s proximity to a postseason berth makes this unlikely. The club faces a difficult path to adding significant help, constrained by a thin roster and substantial financial liabilities, yet Preller’s aggressive approach suggests an intent to push for a championship run before the current roster’s window closes.
