A.J. Preller is sticking to the same playbook, and he’s not backing off it now. The Padres’ president of baseball operations made another aggressive deadline move this year, landing veteran left-hander Robbie Ray and former first-round pick Casey Mize as San Diego tries to make noise over the final two full months of the regular season.
The cost was steep. To get Mize at the buzzer, the Padres gave up Kash Mayfield, one of their top prospects and the club’s first-round pick in 2024.
That kind of move is exactly what Preller has built his reputation on. He keeps pushing for immediate help, keeps chasing a championship and keeps refusing to talk like a man who’s interested in slowing down or rebuilding. In his view, the Padres should be in the hunt every year, and he’s not apologizing for paying prospect prices to keep them there.
There’s a certain logic to it. Preller wants San Diego positioned to win a World Series, and he wants that window open year after year.
The problem is that the price keeps showing up on the prospect side. CJ Abrams.
James Wood. Leo De Vries.
Now Mayfield.
For Padres fans, that part is getting familiar, and not always in a good way. The organization keeps moving talented young players out the door, even as the big-league club remains competitive.
And that’s where the frustration lives. Preller’s approach looks strong on paper: a roster that stays relevant and avoids a full teardown. But under his watch, it still hasn’t produced a World Series trip, and that leaves room for plenty of questions about the method.
Preller, though, isn’t backing away from it. He believes he’s putting the Padres in the best possible position to win, and he’s going to keep operating that way.
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 🡒]
Padres Send Clear Message After Dodgers Raise The Stakes In NL West
The Dodgers deadline move for Tarik Skubal only sharpened the division race, and the Padres were quick to treat it as the latest reminder of what they are up against. Jake Cronenworth and Xander Bogaerts both acknowledged the strategy behind Los Angeles push, while San Diego kept its focus on the bigger picture: staying in the playoff hunt and playing its way into October.
For a club sitting third in the National League West and still battling the Arizona Diamondbacks for a postseason berth, the message was less about the stars in the other dugout and more about what San Diego controls from here. The Padres know the standings leave little room for drift, and the response from within the room suggests they are intent on meeting the moment rather than chasing the headlines coming out of Los Angeles. [Read more 🡒]