Padres Will be 'Light Buyers' Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline: Report

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jul 26, 2024

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Padres are riding a five-game winning streak with the trade deadline five days away. They are in position for one of the coveted National League Wild Card spots, so what kind of moves will they make in the coming days?

Padres beat writer A.J. Cassavell of MLB.com, says they will be “light buyers.” San Diego isn't all-in this season but is still going for it and will make some offers.

"That means they’ll be active," writes Cassavell. "The Padres have plenty of talent on their roster, but some notable flaws, too. It’d be imprudent not to add to the current mix."

San Diego has a couple of glaring needs in starting pitching and middle relief. They don't necessarily need a top-end starter and could do with a No. 3 or No. 4. They could also try and get a right fielder to fill in for Fernando Tatis Jr. until he returns from the injured list. Then, when the Gold Glove outfielder returns, the new acquisition could move into a bench role.

The reason why the Padres can't make a huge splash is because they don't have many highly-ranked prospects to trade. The club's top four prospects — Ethan Salas, Robby Snelling, Dylan Lesko, and Leodalis De Vries — all rank in MLB Pipeline's Top 100. The Padres said Salas is off-limits and are reluctant to trade the other three.

With Chicago's Garrett Crochet and Detroit's Tarik Skubal as the biggest prizes, the Padres will most likely end up with a pitcher in the next tier below.