Preller's aggressive trade history fuels predictions of a major move for a top-tier pitcher, addressing future rotation concerns head-on.
The trade market is the go-to avenue to shakeup the roster for San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller. At the 2025 trade deadline, Preller landed the Padres one of the most promising and exciting relievers in the game in Mason Miller. Preller knows no boundaries when making such deals, sending away No. 4 prospect in the MLB shortstop Leo De Vries to the Athletics in exchange for Miller’s arm.
Since joining the Padres as the general manager and Executive Vice President in 2014, Preller has left his fingerprints all over the roster, turning them into one of baseball’s most talented teams. There have been numerous blockbuster deals along the way for Preller, who was promoted to President of Baseball Operations in 2021.
He landed star outfielder Juan Soto at the 2022 deadline. After a season and a half, Preller orchestrated another Soto blockbuster deal, this time sending him to the New York Yankees for a big package including starting pitcher Michael King. Starter Joe Musgrove landed in San Diego in 2021 after Preller sent a five-player package to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Several other trades during Preller’s tenure have played significant roles in the success of the team in recent years, such as trading for a young Fernando Tatis Jr. and snagging starting pitcher Dylan Cease in 2024. To put it simply, the Padres’ front office is not afraid to make big moves under Preller’s leadership – and there is no reason to believe that’ll stop as long as he’s in San Diego.
In a recent article from Bleacher Report predicting how things may play out at the 2026 trade deadline, the Padres, unsurprisingly, are involved in a huge hypothetical move that would bring one of baseball’s most desired arms to San Diego. Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly predicts the Padres will make a deal for Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan at this year’s deadline in the article.
“What would a trade deadline be without San Diego president of baseball operations A.J. Preller taking a massive swing?,” Kelly wrote.
If the Padres were to make such a big swing, it would likely be for a starting pitcher such as Ryan, as their current rotational depth leaves questions to be asked. Starters Nick Pivetta and Michael King can both opt out of their contracts after 2026, potentially leaving San Diego in a deep hole to dig themselves out of.
Adding an arm like Ryan would help ease that worry. Ryan still has two years of team control before he hits the market in 2028, making him an even more valuable piece to San Diego. In 171 innings for the Twins last season, Ryan recorded a 3.42 ERA and 3.74 FIP. In his first All-Star season, Ryan finished among the top of the league in expected batting average, strikeout rate, and walk rate.
The Padres could certainly use an arm like Ryan’s in their rotation, who is currently relying on Pivetta, King, a returning-from-Tommy-John-surgery Joe Musgrove, and Randy Vasquez. It wouldn’t be easy to land him, but Preller’s past shows more than a willingness to make such a deal happen.
Though San Diego has just one top 100 prospect in baseball, catcher Ethan Salas, it would come as no surprise if Preller uses his magic yet again to put together a deal enticing enough for the Twins to send Ryan away. Ideally, the trade would come before the season begins, but if not, there’s no doubt that the Padres will be looking around the league intently at this year’s trade deadline.