The San Diego Padres enter Tuesday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers in sole possession of first place in the NL West. As encouraging as that is, the fact that it’s still just May 19 cannot be ignored. Yes, the Padres have played well, and they deserve credit for that, but does anyone actually think they’re going to overtake the Dodgers in the NL West when all is said and done?
If AJ Preller is able to work his magic to make any of these big trades, which is something he has a knack for pulling off, they might be able to do so.
RHP Freddy Peralta, New York Mets
The biggest concern with this San Diego team right now is the starting rotation. Michael King has been awesome, and Randy Vasquez has been a pleasant surprise, but Nick Pivetta is hurt for who knows how long and it’s hard to trust anyone else. Freddy Peralta might not go super deep into games, but his consistency is something the Padres could certainly use.
Peralta has allowed three runs or fewer in nine of his 10 starts this season, and perhaps most importantly, he’s as reliable as anyone when it comes to making his starts every fifth day. Peralta has three straight seasons of 30 or more starts and 165 or more innings.
He might not be Tarik Skubal, but Peralta is an All-Star-caliber pitcher. And since he’s on an expiring contract, San Diego has the pieces to get a deal done without issue. It all comes down to the New York Mets’ desire to sell at the deadline.
C Ryan Jeffers, Minnesota Twins
Another thing the Padres could really use is more offensive firepower. San Diego ranks 24th in runs scored and 29th in OPS, highlighting their need for more thump. Ryan Jeffers, a catcher who has a .949 OPS this season, could provide said thump.
Freddy Fermin is an excellent defensive catcher, but he’s hitting .160 with a .457 OPS, making him really hard to play with any sort of regularity. Luis Campusano gave the Padres a nice offensive boost, but is what he was doing really sustainable before he got injured? Now, Jeffers just landed on the IL himself, but he should be back by the trade deadline, and there’s a good chance he’ll be a popular candidate to be moved.
Much like Peralta, Jeffers is on an expiring contract, making him easier to acquire than he otherwise would’ve been.
RHP Michael Wacha, Kansas City Royals
Michael Wacha spent the 2023 season with the Padres, and he wound up having one of the best seasons of his career. He’s carried that momentum with him to Kansas City, where he’s in the midst of a third straight strong season with the Royals: The right-hander has a 2.93 ERA in nine starts and 57.1 innings of work.
He might not have the kind of electric strikeout stuff that most frontline starters do, but how can you argue with Wacha’s production? You know you’re going to get reliability from him, even at 34 years of age — and again, that’s something the Padres could really use.
Wacha is under contract through the 2027 season and he has a 2028 club option, so the Padres could get a long-ish term solution in their rotation (and at a very reasonable salary, might I add). Wacha won’t come cheap, but given his age and lack of ace stuff he probably won’t cost an arm and a leg either, even with the added control.
OF Taylor Ward, Baltimore Orioles
The Padres don’t get on base enough. Their .294 team on-base percentage is the second-worst in the sport. What better way to fix that than by trading for the player who leads the Majors in walks? Taylor Ward has drawn a whopping 45 walks in 48 games, and while his power has taken a nosedive (only two home runs), he does lead the Majors with 15 doubles.
Ultimately, an on-base machine like Ward (.417 OBP) would give their stars chances to drive runs in, and that’s something they could use. Now, those stars would have to come through more than they have so far, but odds are, with added opportunities, the runs will come.
Ward is another rental, and given the Padres’ need for an outfielder who can supply more offense than Ramon Laureano has, he represents a clear fit.
RHP Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
After a rough 2025 campaign, Sandy Alcantara has looked more like his former Cy Young self this season, posting a 3.53 ERA in 10 starts and 63.2 innings of work. A couple of clunkers have inflated that ERA a bit, but Alcantara has allowed three earned runs or fewer in eight of his 10 starts and two earned runs or fewer in eight of 10. He’s also completed six or more innings in all but two of his outings. He’s been dominant more often than not.
Because of this, Alcantara will be in high demand around the deadline, assuming the Miami Marlins elect to sell,. And of the names on this list, he’ll be by far the hardest to acquire, especially since the Marlins don’t really need a catcher (the position played by Ethan Salas, the Padres’ top prospect).
With that being said, Alcantara is worth the hefty price tag. He’s a reliable innings-eating ace who also, thanks to his club option for 2027, is under control through next season. Acquiring Alcantara, a difference-making kind of pitcher, for two playoff runs would be quite the win for A.J. Preller and Co.
More MLB news and analysis:
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
