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When the 2025 season started, the San Diego Padres had high expectations. They began 7-0 and were one of the hottest teams in the sport. Since the start, the Padres have contained two catchers who are statistically some of the worst hitters this season. Elias Diaz and Martin Maldonaldo rotate starts but have had a tough time performing well.
It is no secret that Padres general manager A.J. Preller wants to make upgrades. He has been hesitant to do so this season, as the ballclub has undergone new ownership changes. Improving the catcher position is a must if the Friars want a chance at competing for the World Series again.
The Padres have been rumored to be looking at the catcher market, according to MLB insiders. One name that came up early on was Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy. Murphy could be a great fit for the Padres, who are in desperate need of offense.
This MLB insider, Ken Rosenthal for The Athletic, believes that the Friars are unlikely to pull off a trade for an elite catcher. He did mention a few names, including Murphy.
“The Athletics’ Shea Langeliers is eligible for arbitration this offseason for the first time. His agent is Scott Boras, who generally prefers his clients to establish their values on the open market. But the Athletics are not trading Langeliers, according to a source briefed on their plans.”
Langeliers and the Padres were not involved in many rumors, if any at all. But according to Rosenthal, he is off the market.
“The Atlanta Braves’ Sean Murphy is another catcher who is unlikely to move, even with the emergence of rookie Drake Baldwin and the injury to right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach intensifying the team’s gloom and doom. Under president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos, the Braves almost always carry two quality catchers. And if they are going to trade Murphy, who is owed $45 million from 2026 to ’28 with a $15 million club option for ’29, they probably will wait until the offseason, when they can involve more clubs.”
One name that Rosenthal could see the Friars going after is Gary Sanchez, who has played for the Padres in the past. The Padres must do something, and if Sanchez's time in Baltimore is only temporary, he could very well end up back in San Diego.
“Getting back to the Padres, most teams with depth at catcher are reluctant to compromise it. The Baltimore Orioles just placed three catchers on the injured list in a span of 10 days. Once they are healthier, they could make Gary Sánchez available for a second stint in San Diego. Sánchez hit 19 homers and produced a .792 OPS for the Padres in 2023 after they claimed him on waivers from the New York Mets.”
