The Dodgers’ blockbuster for Tarik Skubal drew the kind of reaction you’d expect from a move that loud: plenty of noise, plenty of backlash, and plenty of talk about Los Angeles “ruining baseball.” Inside the Padres’ clubhouse, though, the response was more matter-of-fact than outraged.
Jake Cronenworth didn’t pretend the deal wasn’t a huge swing for a division rival.
“Does it make their team even better? Yeah,” infielder Jake Cronenworth said to reporters.
“But they have every right to do it. Every other team had the opportunity to do it.”
Xander Bogaerts took the same measured approach, pointing out that the Dodgers are clearly chasing a third straight title while San Diego is locked into its own race just to get into October.
“That’s what you do when they’re going for something - three in a row,” Bogaerts said. “They’re chasing that, and they got a good pitcher.
We’ve just got to focus on trying to get to the playoffs. Once you get there, anything can happen.
If this ends today, I don’t even think we’re in, right? We’ve got to get in.”
Los Angeles landed Skubal on Saturday night, and while the Dodgers were always expected to be in the mix, the price tag still turned heads. The package sent to Detroit included outfield prospect Zyhir Hope, who ranks No. 25 in MLB Pipeline’s top 100, right-handed pitcher River Ryan, ranked No. 68, and right-handed pitcher Brady Smith.
It’s the kind of return that suggests other clubs could have made a stronger push if they’d been willing to pay up.
For San Diego, though, the focus has to stay on the standings, not on what Los Angeles just added. The Dodgers are comfortably on top of the National League West, sitting nine games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Padres, meanwhile, are in third place, one game behind Arizona after splitting the first two games of the series. The Diamondbacks also hold the third and final wild-card spot.
FanGraphs has San Diego finishing 83-79 and gives the club a 33.9% chance of reaching the postseason as a wild card.
That makes this week’s series with Arizona even bigger. The Padres can pull even with the Diamondbacks in the standings Wednesday night, with deadline addition Casey Mize set to make his team debut.
In Other News...
Padres Roster Crunch Could Force Another Tough Pitching Decision
The Padres roster squeeze has already reached a point where a familiar arm is on the move. Matt Waldron, who debuted with San Diego in 2023 and spent parts of four seasons in the organization, was designated for assignment before the Toronto Blue Jays stepped in and claimed him off waivers. Toronto had an opening after transferring left-hander Patrick Corbin to the 60-day injured list, and Waldron now gets a fresh start elsewhere after carving out a role with the Padres over multiple seasons.
For San Diego, the bigger issue is that one roster decision rarely comes alone this time of year. The club has been juggling pitching depth and the pressure of keeping the staff intact, and another move may be coming as it tries to clear space for Robbie Ray. With arms already in flux, the Padres could be forced into another uncomfortable call before the roster settles. [Read more 🡒]
Preller Just Reignited The Padres Debate Fans Know Too Well
A.J. Preller did what he has done so often at the deadline, and it immediately pulled the Padres back into one of the franchises most familiar conversations. By landing Robbie Ray and Casey Mize, then parting with top prospect Kash Mayfield, the president of baseball operations again showed he is willing to move real future value if he thinks it helps the club in the present.
For San Diego, that approach is always the point of tension. Preller has made clear that his priority is building a team capable of chasing championships, even when it means dealing away some of the organizations best young talent, and the latest deadline moves only sharpen the long-running debate over whether that style gives the Padres their best chance now or costs them too much later. [Read more 🡒]