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The San Diego Padres have been knocking at the door of a World Series appearance for quite some time. Once again, their willingness to go “all in” on such a run will be on full display ahead of this month’s trade deadline.
President of baseball operations A.J. Preller and the rest of San Diego’s front office has been getting set for business, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“The Padres are spreading the word to every seller that they are searching for a right-handed hitting outfielder and a catcher, and aren’t afraid to deal their prospects,” Nightingale reported. “They still believe they have the team to end their World Series drought, particularly with Yu Darvish’s return and potentially Michael King.
“Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran still makes the most sense for the Padres.”
While the Padres are eight games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, they are in the middle of a heated Wild Card chase. Such positioning is a welcomed sight for a club that is well below league average in OPS, home runs, and RBIs.
Despite their struggles at the plate, San Diego has benefitted from excellent pitching. It currently owns a 3.69 team ERA. Starters like Nick Pivetta, Dylan Cease, and Randy Vasquez have kept the team in games, and have also allowed a strong bullpen to work with leads.
The Padres hold the fifth-best bullpen ERA in baseball. If King and Darvish are able to add to an already serviceable starting rotation, their holistic pitching staff could be a dangerous bunch to face in October.
This might explain why San Diego would be willing to make an extreme push for a player like Jarren Duran in a trade. The 28-year-old has shown flashes of consistency that could change the complexion of a lineup.
Duran has hit six home runs, recorded 44 RBIs, and posted a .728 OPS across 89 games this season. The All-Star ended his 2024 campaign with 21 home runs and an .834 OPS. He also hit the most doubles in baseball.
The Padres are going to be active this month, but it is worth wondering how far they will go to acquire talent.
