The San Diego Padres are headed into the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline as one of the league’s most closely watched teams, and the big question is whether they’ll be buying, selling, or trying to thread the needle between the two.
Their position in the National League wild-card chase has only made the picture murkier. The Padres have been sliding in the standings and badly need a winning streak if they want to keep their postseason hopes alive. That uncertainty has put several names under the microscope, including closer Mason Miller.
It has also raised questions about one of the organization’s most important young players, catcher Ethan Salas.
Salas, 20, is hitting .282/.352/.419 for Double-A San Antonio and has been one of the few clear bright spots in the Padres’ system. He dealt with an oblique injury in late June, but he’s healthy now and continuing to produce at the plate.
Still, with deadline speculation swirling, Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller tried to cool the noise on Friday when asked about Salas’ status.
"He's just been healthy this year and is doing the things that our baseball group feels like he can do," Preller said on 97.3 The Fan. "So, again, somebody like Ethan, we see him as being a big part of the Padres' future."
That should be encouraging for Padres fans, especially considering the club signed Salas for $5.6 million in the international market, a franchise record for an international signing period. Preller said he has been pleased to see Salas on the field this season after the catcher had trouble staying healthy in 2025 because of a lingering back injury.
"Ethan's had a great year. I think we're super excited by what he's doing and we've always thought really highly of him," he said.
Preller also made it clear that the organization still sees Salas’ future in San Diego, even if his MLB debut likely won’t come this season.
"It's exciting to think about him playing at Petco. Really nothing's changed for us in the last year," Preller said. "For us, he was somebody that we've always thought highly of."
That doesn’t completely shut the door on anything in baseball, where plans can change quickly. But for now, the Padres appear to view Salas as a long-term piece rather than a deadline chip, even as the team’s season continues to wobble.
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Padres May Have Found The Spark Their Lineup Desperately Needed
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The early returns have been encouraging because the Padres have needed exactly this kind of contribution from the bottom and middle of the lineup mix. Rengifo has handled second base and left field, and he has enough defensive range to cover several other spots if needed, which only adds to the appeal. The bigger question is whether this stretch is a true turning point or just a hot run that can keep the Padres afloat for now. [Read more 🡒]