The Padres are heading into the trade deadline with a familiar kind of pressure hanging over them: they need help, and A.J. Preller is the one who usually finds it.
San Diego’s front office has already been identified as one to watch over the next few weeks, and the reasons are obvious. The club wants offense, and it wants it badly. The rotation also needs attention, but the lineup has been the bigger problem by far, and that’s where the urgency starts.
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez put it bluntly when he pointed to one thing he’s watching most closely: “A.J. Preller's cellphone,” Gonzalez wrote.
“The San Diego Padres are in win-now mode, but they are just barely in contention because their offense is the worst in the sport. Yes, a lineup featuring Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts has scored fewer runs than any team in the major leagues.
All four of them have been bad, and the depth around them is nowhere near enough to make up the difference.
"Yes, Preller could stand to add a front-line starter, but the need in the rotation is probably not as acute as it is in the lineup.”
That’s the heart of the Padres’ problem. The offense has been stuck at the bottom of the league all season, and the numbers back it up: San Diego is last in team batting average at .225, third to last in slugging percentage at .375 and second to last in OPS at .676.
The disappointing production from the stars in the middle of the order has been a major part of that slide, but the expectation is still that Preller will try to fix it. He has a long track record of swinging big, and the sense around the industry is that he may have more room to work with now that a new ownership group is in place.
“If the Padres give him a reason to add, you can bet the general manager will be in the market for the most decorated hitters available,” Gonzalez wrote. “And a new incoming ownership group is expected to give him the green light to take on money.”
Even with limited assets, San Diego has already been tied to some of the bigger names who could move before the deadline. That’s where Preller’s reputation matters. He’s built a career on finding creative ways to get deals done, and the Padres may need that skill again.
The next few weeks will shape how far he pushes. If the Padres keep stumbling, Preller could ease off. If they start stacking wins, then just about anything could be in play for San Diego.
In Other News...
Padres Pitcher Sparks Postgame Scare After Dodgers Wild Comeback
Randy Vsquezs night took a worrying turn after the Padres loss to the Dodgers, when the right-hander needed medical attention for an ankle issue that began after he was struck by a comebacker early in the game. Vsquez still managed to pitch three innings, allowing four runs, before leaving the mound and being sent for further evaluation.
The situation became more concerning once he was being checked out, and the club moved quickly to have him examined more thoroughly as a precaution. For a Padres team already trying to absorb a painful collapse against Los Angeles, the bigger concern now is the health of one of its pitchers, with tests still ongoing and no immediate clarity beyond the fact that he was stable and conscious. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Suddenly Face An Injury Crisis After Alarming Night
A rough night against the Dodgers left the Padres sorting through more than just a lopsided loss. Starting pitcher Randy Vasquez was struck in the ankle by a line drive, catcher Freddy Fermin exited after being hit in the mask, and the bullpen took another hit when Jason Adam landed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain, forcing San Diego to shuffle its roster and bring Germn Mrquez back.
For a club already trying to keep pace in a crowded race, the concern goes beyond the final score and into the health of two players who were in the middle of the action when things turned. Vasquezs next steps will depend on tests and evaluation, while Fermins status adds another layer of uncertainty to a lineup that suddenly has to absorb injuries in real time. [Read more 🡒]