A.J. Preller waited until the deadline buzzer, then hit the Padres’ biggest need head-on.
San Diego entered the 2026 MLB trade deadline with real uncertainty about whether it would buy or sell, and the possibility of moving top relievers like Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller was part of the conversation if the club chose the other direction. Instead, Preller stayed quiet for most of Monday before making back-to-back moves that reshaped the rotation.
First came Robbie Ray, acquired from the San Francisco Giants for two prospects. A few hours later, the Padres added Casey Mize from the Detroit Tigers in a deal that sent two players to Detroit, including pitcher prospect Kash Mayfield. San Diego also picked up infielder Gage Workman in that Tigers trade.
Mize didn’t deliver in his first Padres outing, turning in a career-worst performance, but the bigger picture was clear: San Diego got two arms it badly needed.
That was enough for former MLB general manager Jim Bowden, now with The Athletic, to hand the Padres an A and the second-best deadline grade in baseball. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers ranked higher after landing Tarik Skubal in a major move.
"The Padres’ deadline reminded me of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” when the swordsman pulls the sword out and starts whipping and twirling it around, challenging the hero for several minutes. Then Indiana Jones looks at him, sighs, pulls out a gun and just shoots him.
That’s what it felt like Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller did.
He made no moves all week and then at the buzzer went and grabbed arguably the second- and third-best starting pitchers traded at the deadline in Mize and Ray," Bowden wrote.
The urgency was obvious. San Diego’s rotation had been patched together with starts from Matt Waldron, German Marquez, JP Sears and Griffin Canning, and the results hadn’t been there. Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta are both injured and working their way back, Randy Vasquez opened strong before sliding into a bullpen role and then returning to the rotation recently, and Walker Buehler has been one of the few bright spots.
Ray and Mize are both rentals, and giving up Mayfield was a significant price. But that’s the kind of deal Preller has always been willing to make.
For the Padres, the deadline came down to one thing: addressing the rotation. With Mize, Ray and Michael King, San Diego now has a top three that should give it a real shot at the National League Wild Card race.
In Other News...
Fernando Tatis Jr. Just Made An Off-Field Move Padres Fans Will Notice
Fernando Tatis Jr. has spent the second half of the season reminding the Padres why he remains such a central part of their future, with his power and run production ticking up at the right time. Under contract in San Diego through 2034, he is still very much tied to the franchise on the field, and his recent stretch has only reinforced how important he is to the clubs long-term plans.
Off the field, though, Tatis has made a move that fans will notice because it could raise his visibility well beyond the box score. His representation has shifted, a change that often opens the door to a bigger endorsement push and a larger public profile, even if it does not point to any unhappiness with the Padres or his current deal. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Playoff Push Hinges On Two Injury Timelines Still In Flux
The Padres have made enough progress in recent weeks to keep themselves in the thick of the playoff race, but the injury list still shapes the conversation around this team almost every day. Relief depth matters more now, and Adams right shoulder strain remains one of the more important situations to watch because he had been pointed toward a September return before the recovery hit a snag. Giolito is still working back from right elbow inflammation as well, while Taylor has begun ramping up baseball activities and could be nearing a rehab assignment.
The trickier holdup may be Andujar, whose fractured right wrist has kept him sidelined and away from baseball work for now. For a club trying to keep its momentum and protect every game in the standings, the timing of these returns could matter just as much as any trade-deadline addition, but the Padres are still waiting on clarity from several of their injured pieces before they can see the roster at full strength again. [Read more 🡒]
Austin Hays Gives Padres An Instant Boost Where They Needed It Most
The Padres did not have to wait long to see what Austin Hays might add to their lineup. Signed to bolster the roster, Hays announced himself in the most immediate way possible, launching a home run in his first plate appearance for San Diego and sending a quick reminder of why he has long been viewed as a useful bat, especially against left-handed pitching.
Hays debut shot came off Astros reliever Bryan King and left the bat at 99 mph, the kind of first impression that can change the tone around a new addition fast. The bigger question now is how San Diego pieces him into the outfield mix from here, because the appeal is not just one swing but the possibility that he can give the Padres the kind of matchup flexibility and lineup balance they have been looking for. [Read more 🡒]