At 36-35, the San Diego Padres still have the look of a team that will be fighting for a playoff spot. When the MLB trade deadline rolls around, general manager AJ Preller won't be afraid to do what it takes to help the Padres improve.
As he has done throughout his entire San Diego tenure, Preller will be scouring the market to find the best players and deals possible. But he has a clear goal in mind with the search. Rather than adding another starting pitcher, Preller and the Padres are focused on trading for a ‘shutdown right-hander reliever,' via Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
San Diego has been linked to Chicago White Sox starter Garrett Crochet, who has become a hot commodity in trade rumors. If the Padres secured that deal, Rosenthal speculated that Michael Kopech could be attached to it for the team to achieve their goal.
But it isn't just Kopech San Diego is focused on. As the trade deadline nears, Rosenthal is expecting more and more relievers to become available. If that is the case, the overall value for relievers could go down. That opportunity would be too good for Preller to pass up.
While a singular player hasn't been named as San Diego's target, the position of need has been clearly visualized. After landing starting pitcher Dylan Cease in a trade with the White Sox prior to the season, the Padres now want to bolster their bullpen.
State of Padres bullpen
San Diego ranks 14th in the league with a bullpen ERA of 3.73. Their .231 batting average against ranks tied for 10th while their 242 strikeouts ties them for 11th. Still, if the Padres want to be a serious playoff contender, Preller knows the bullpen could use some improvement.
Closer Robert Suarez is the clear leader of the pen, proving to be an immaculate option for San Diego in the ninth. Over his 27 games, Suarez has recorded 17 saves while putting up a 0.64 ERA and a 27/6 K/BB ratio. Jeremiah Estrada has transformed into a prime setup man in front of him. He holds a 0.86 ERA and a 35/7 K/BB ratio over 18 games.
While those two have stolen the show, San Diego has still gotten solid production elsewhere. Adrian Morejon has a 2.00 ERA over his 19 games while Enyel De Los Santos and Wandy Peralta have nearly matching 3.54 and 3.55 ERAs respectively. Jhony Brito hasn't been too far behind with a 3.60 ERA over 21 games.
But Peralta and Morejon are both lefties. De Los Santos and Brito both earned a role in the bullpen, but the Padres are always in search of more. If a strong reliever becomes available at the deadline, AJ Preller will have his eyes peeled.
It's not like the Padres have a bad bullpen, they have been a top 10 team in the late innings. But Preller knows being in the middle doesn't win championships. San Diego has their eyes set on much more.
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