With the trade deadline looming, AJ Preller’s aggressive reputation puts San Diego front and center as a prime destination for superstars like Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan.
The San Diego Padres should be some of baseball’s most aggressive buyers at this year’s trade deadline, which will pass in less than one month’s time. Sitting at an unsatisfactory 46-47 record heading into Friday night’s game, there is a lot of room for growth in San Diego.
Luckily for them, they have one of the most notoriously aggressive general managers in baseball, and with new ownership at the helm, it wouldn’t be much of a shocker if this year’s deadline runs through the Padres.
ESPN insiders Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel wrote an article earlier this week that listed the top trade candidates at the August 3 deadline, and the Padres were mentioned several times as a possible landing spot for some of baseball’s most attractive names.
The first time San Diego was mentioned was as a fit for the star Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton – the No. 2-ranked trade candidate. While Buxton and the Twins’ front office have downplayed the possibility of a trade, neither party outright said a move was impossible.
Already with 25 home runs and a 146 OPS+ under his belt this season to go along with his positive defense and blazing sprint speed, Buxton’s talents would be very much welcomed to a Padres team that has gotten little production from its stars in 2026. It would take a haul, but the Padres have been willing to meet such demands in the past for stars like Juan Soto and Mason Miller.
Fellow Twin, right-handed pitcher Joe Ryan, was also a player who was lost as a fit for the pitching-desperate Padres. Ryan has posted a 2.85 ERA on an extremely low $6.2 million salary in 2026, and he is undoubtedly one of the most valuable starters who could be dealt this summer. With the injuries and lack of depth in San Diego’s rotation, Ryan’s addition would certainly boost its chances of making the postseason.
If the Padres opt for a lefty, the Los Angeles Angels’ Reid Detmers could come into play as the article suggested, although the Halos seem hesitant to move their southpaw. In the midst of a career year, a decent haul would be necessary for the Angels to consider such a move.
The Friars appear several more times in the article, being named as a good fit for outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, RHP Casey Mize, RHP Sonny Gray, first baseman Wilson Contreras, outfielder Seiya Suzuki, RHP Jose Soriano, RHP Sandy Alcantara, LHP Foster Griffin, RHP Michael Wacha, catcher Ryan Jeffers, LHP Robbie Ray, outfielder Mickey Moniak, outfielder Taylor Ward, and finally RHP Freddy Peralta.
Obviously, the Padres are a team that has been underwhelming this season, but certainly have the talent to be a postseason team. With an expected aggressive approach to push themselves into a Wild Card spot, there are plenty of areas on the roster the Friars can strengthen via the trade market.
San Diego is listed as a fit for nearly 20 of the top trade candidates, but Padres fans will be waiting optimistically for the trades to start materializing. If they stand pat, it would cement the 2026 season as a loss.
