The San Diego Padres are in a unique situation as they head towards the 2025 MLB trade deadline. The Friars are holding on to the final wild-card spot in the National League and are certainly in need of upgrades. But they also have players other teams covet, so general manager A.J. Preller could opt to buy and sell, walking a fine line towards competitiveness.
Preller is never scared of making a big deal or taking a huge swing, and this could be the year he truly shines by treading two paths. San Diego has one of MLB's deepest bullpens, a thin starting rotation, and two holes in its lineup, and more on the bench.
What follows is a look at three moves the Padres can make before the trade deadline that would fit what they need to do perfectly.
Trade for Ramon Laureano
A lot has been written about the Padres' need for a left fielder—I know because I've written some of it. While Gavin Sheets has filled in admirably out there, he should be locked in at designated hitter. Big names like Luis Robert Jr. and Jarren Duran have been connected to San Diego, but this might be the right move. Ramon Laureno had his breakout season in 2019, but now, as a 31-year-old, he's breaking out again.
Through the first 78 games of the season, the Baltimore Orioles outfielder is slashing .279/.341/.526 with 15 home runs and 46 RBIs. That .866 OPS is his highest since 2019, and his wRC+ (136) is a career-high. Meanwhile, his underlying metrics look outstanding as he's notching near career-bests across the board. As a team, the Padres rank 24th in OPS against righties (.698) and 28th in home runs (63). Laureano's OPS against righties is .918, with a .301 batting average and 10 home runs. He fills a need and is an excellent fit.
While there are sexier options out there, Laureano's contract also has a $6.5 million club option for 2026. He shouldn't cost the prospect capital of the bigger-name outfielders, which will allow the Padres to keep high-end prospects like Leo De Vries, Ethan Salas, and a number of their young pitchers, and he can return cheaply next season. Those things should be enough to entice Preller.
Trade for Charlie Morton
There are a number of pitchers out there the Padres could take a shot at, but it's another member of the Orioles they should target. There are two reasons for this: the cost and the ability to make this deal a package, thereby reducing the return. So far this season, the San Diego has made do with a starting rotation thrown together with duct tape and tissue paper. Joe Musgrove is out for the season due to Tommy John surgery, while Yu Darvish and Michael King have both missed huge chunks of the season. That has left a rotation led by Nick Pivetta, backed up by Randy Vasquez, Stephen Kolek, and a cast of fill-ins.
Morton is a 41-year-old rental with a 5.48 ERA, which makes him sound like a punishment, not an upgrade. But the Padres need someone to eat innings, and the veteran righty has two World Series rings and a 3.60 career postseason ERA. Despite his high season ERA, from May 10 through July 10, he was 5-0 with a 2.61 ERA, 2.80 FIP, and a 1.18 WHIP over his previous 51 2/3 innings. Again, he could be a relatively cheap boost to an already good rotation.
Trade Robert Suarez
One thing the Padres have in abundance is high-end relief arms. The Padres have four of MLB's best relievers in All-Stars Robert Suarez, Adrian Morejon, and Jason Adam, plus the hard-throwing Jeremiah Estrada. There is more depth in the minor leagues, which would give them the ability to trade from a strength to get a haul of young players. The top of San Diego's minor league system lacks bats, which has reared its ugly head this season and contributed to the team's awful bench production.
With Emmanuel Clase sidelined due to a gambling investigation, Suarez would almost certainly be the top reliever available. The two-time All-Star closer is 2-4 with a 3.38 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and boasts an MLB-best 30 saves in 33 chances. His 2.27 FIP shows he's been a bit unlucky this season as well. He has an $8 million player option for 2026 he is expected to decline, so he'd be a pure rental, but the Padres have the relievers to replace him as closer. They should take advantage of the market and get as much as they can before he walks.
