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The San Diego Padres should rightfully feel like they have a chance to make a run at the World Series this season, and they are trying to make a few final moves to get their roster ready for the postseason at the trade deadline.
The Padres have a couple of needs or wants at the deadline, but another big bat in the lineup would certainly help their cause. At the moment, they are currently trying to make a deal for Atlanta Braves slugger Marcell Ozuna and talks are heating up, according to MLB insider Héctor Gómez.
“SOURCE: Trade talks between Padres and Braves have intensified,” Gómez reported on X, formerly Twitter. “The Padres are very interested in landing Marcell Ozuna. According to the source, the Braves would receive Padres' No. 18 prospect RHP Francis Peña and No. 21 prospect RHP Ryan Bergert.”
The Braves could be looking to move off of Ozuna in the midst of a very disappointing season as a team that has seen them fall out of the playoff race at the moment. They are currently just 44-56 and are 13.5 games out of first place in the NL East and 10.5 games behind the final wild card spot. While there is still time to salvage it, Atlanta has some tough decisions to make as it figures to be a seller at the trade deadline.
Ozuna isn't having his best season at the plate, but sliding down the lineup a bit in a loaded group like San Diego's and allowing him to hit with more runners on base could be beneficial for him. In 92 games this season, he is batting just .235 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs.
As it stands, the Padres are currently sitting at 55-46 and are just four games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers at the top of the NL West. However, San Diego is still firmly hanging onto a wild card spot, so it will be getting ready for the postseason regardless. Adding a player like Ozuna to the lineup will make it that much more difficult for opposing pitchers when the calendar gets to September and October.
