Lincoln Zdunich
The San Diego Padres continue to be one of the most interesting teams in baseball. Entering play on Thursday, the club is mired in a five-game losing streak. They’re also about to face the rival Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks in back-to-back four-game sets. It’s a tough stretch for San Diego and it doesn’t get better anytime soon. The hope is that the All-Star break can serve as a reset for the organization. The Padres have always been better down the stretch (especially in recent years). Hopefully they can do the same again this year.
It’s important to keep in mind that General Manager A.J. Preller is always ready to add to his big-league roster. One of the most fascinating case studies in the sport, Preller has been known to trade prospects with reckless abandon. He often treats the San Diego farm system like his own personal piggy bank. It’s worked out in making the Friars a perennial contender but has drawn the ire of fans by giving up big prospects like CJ Abrams, Max Fried, MacKenzie Gore, Trea Turner, James Wood, the list goes on and on. That said, if Preller catches even a whiff of the Friars being in postseason contention at the August 3 Trade Deadline, he’ll jump at the opportunity to chase a World Series championship.
Insider Reports That Preller is Signaling Major Financial Flexibility
Then came a report from insider Ken Rosenthal that executives around the league believe Preller has been signaling a willingness to spend. A big deal could come if the Friars can turn the tide on their recent slump. If not, it would be difficult to justify a major trade unless it was one that helps San Diego for years to come. The Padres have traded for plenty of rentals in the last few seasons that haven’t done much to help the club. Tanner Scott, and Ryan O’Hearn headline that group from 2024-25 but there have been plenty. If San Diego does storm back down the stretch, what scenarios could play out if Preller has his way?
A Rivalry Reunion
At the start of the 2024 season, the Friars made the first major trade of the season with the Miami Marlins. It turned out to be quite the savvy move, with San Diego trading for the contact-oriented Luis Arraez. Arraez was a fan favorite in San Diego, winning a batting title in 2024 and leading the Padres to the postseason with his elite bat-to-ball skills. He slumped in 2025 (though, to call it a slump is almost rude), hitting .292 on the year. Arraez then entered free agency and expressed an earnest desire to play second base. He wanted to prove himself at the keystone position despite being known as one of the worst defenders in the league.
The San Francisco Giants took a chance on him with a one-year contract. That came with a guarantee that Arraez would be the starting second baseman for the club. Under the tutelage of legendary coach Ron Washington, he’s become one of the most elite defensive players in the game. He ranks fourth in Outs Above Average with +11 at the keystone position. It’s been an incredible turnaround for Arraez, who has been the only consistent player on a rocky Giants team. He’s currently batting .326 on the year and has a shot at another batting title. San Diego could desperately use a bat like that in its lineup.
An Immediate Boost for San Diego
Excluding Fernando Tatis Jr. (who has spent considerable time at second base this season for reasons beyond understanding), Jake Cronenworth, Sung-Mun Song and Will Wagner have combined for an abysmal .217 batting average. Even with Tatis’s .280 batting average, the combined stat only moves up to .233 between the four infielders. Arraez would immediately fix that problem. He also wouldn’t be too expensive given he’ll be a free agent at the end of the year, and San Francisco is actively looking to sell.
Probably Not Worth It
Tarik Skubal has been thrown around all year long as the most likely trade candidate. With reports that the Dodgers are backing off to prioritize their farm, the Padres are heavily favored to be in the mix for the southpaw’s services. However, he’s hurt his case a bit coming back from injury. Since returning from surgery on his elbow, he hasn’t looked the same. Skubal has posted a 4.03 ERA across 22 1/3 innings pitched. That could hurt his trade stock a bit, though he’ll still command a significant return for the Detroit Tigers.
And that’s why San Diego should avoid making this trade. They would be required to give up too much for just two guaranteed months of Skubal’s services. It just doesn’t seem like enough payoff to trade away top prospects from an already-depleted farm system. The Friars will still probably be in the mix for his services this offseason. But the club has better options to bolster the starting rotation now in pitchers like Sandy Alcantara and Joe Ryan.
The Big Kahuna (AKA The Pipe Dream)
Regardless of how many prospects it would take to get this deal done, it’s a move that would only benefit the Padres on a championship run. If the club is in contention once the Deadline rolls around, it’s hard to dismiss the possibility of Yordan Alvarez wearing the brown and gold. Alvarez has been a near-lock for the American League MVP this year. Now that Aaron Judge is out due to injury, it’s even more likely that the slugger will receive the award … unless he ends the season in the National League.
The prospect of Alvarez batting alongside Manny Machado and Tatis is tantalizing, to be sure. That being said, it would take a lot to pry the slugger from the Houston Astros. Alvarez won’t be a free agent for two more years after the 2026 season concludes. The Astros would be giving up not only one of baseball’s best hitters this season but also several years of team control. That would require a major trade haul to acquire the 29-year-old’s services. But Preller has never been one to shy away from a blockbuster deal. If the Friars are truly in a place to contend at the Deadline a trade for Alvarez could be warranted. If not, Preller could look elsewhere to add some thump to the lineup.
