Padres Expected To Be One Of Most Aggressive Teams at Trade Deadline

Which players will the Padres go after?

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The MLB trade deadline is about three weeks away, and the San Diego Padres are expected to be one of the most active teams at the deadline. Per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, and Atlanta Braves are going to be the most aggressive teams at the deadline.

All of these teams are in the midst of playoff and/or World Series contention, making it important for them to add some finishing pieces or replace injured players to improve their chances come October.

The only issue is there aren't many top-end players expected to be available at the deadline. Instead, relievers — like Los Angeles Angels reliever Carlos Estévez — are expected to be top assets for teams looking to make a trade. Outside of the reliever market, top names available include Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. and Oakland Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker.

The Padres line up well in theory with both the White Sox and Angels. They could use another reliever, as well as another starter for depth. With the injuries to Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove this season, adding another starter could prove especially important.

It's unsurprising to hear the Padres are expected to be active at the deadline, as they already have been proactive when it comes to trades. They acquired Luis Arráez for a package of prospects on May 4, which has proven to be a significant addition. One of the best hitters in the league, Arraez has been the toughest hitter in the National League to strike out, and has been on base more times than all but five NL players — a strong asset at the top of the lineup.

Arraez, already a two-time All-Star, was named to his third All-Star team on Sunday. His .313 batting average is second in the NL.

The Padres also began the season with a trade, acquiring starter Dylan Cease from the White Sox. Cease has stabilized a rotation beset by injuries and inconsistency, going 7-8 with a 4.21 ERA and, most importantly, averaging more than 5.2 innings per start.