The San Diego Padres are in serious trouble after losing its eighth straight game and falling to third place in the NL West.
The San Diego Padres are falling apart, falling two games below .500 at 43-45 and dropping to third place in the National League West.
The Padres have dropped eight games in a row, allowing the Arizona Diamondbacks to jump a game ahead in the division race and wild card race following the team’s third loss in as many days to the Los Angeles Dodgers, which now own a 15-game lead over San Diego.
The Padres desperately need a win Sunday night against the Dodgers to salvage the four-game series, as San Diego is now five games back from the final NL wild card spot.
San Diego has immense talent up and down the roster but many of its top stars haven’t produced near their expectations. It is unlikely that general manager A.J. Preller goes out and trades for an impact bat to help the lineup; the offense will have to dig itself out of this large hole.
If the team hangs around the wild card race, trading for a starting pitcher would be the most likely move the Padres make. Whether its for the biggest prize, Detroit Tigers ace lefty and back-to-back American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, or a more affordable pitcher like a Robbie Ray remains to be seen.
Although we are a little under a month away from the Aug. 3 trade deadline with plenty of games left to be played, could San Diego become soft sellers if the team isn’t within striking distance?
The Padres don’t have too many veteran pieces on tradeable contracts that will net profitable returns, but one guy who could be on the move is right-hander Michael King.
King has been great since becoming a full-time starter, posting a 3.22 ERA over 64 games (63 starts, 349.1 innings). He pitched a full season with San Diego in 2024, recording a 13-9 record with a 2.95 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 201 strikeouts to 63 walks in 31 appearances (30 starts, 173.2 innings).
He only made 15 starts due to injury last season, but when he was on the mound, King pitched well. This season, he is 5-7 with a 3.52 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 88 strikeouts to 41 walks in 18 starts (102.1 innings). King has been incredibly important since right-hander Dylan Cease left in free agency.
King re-signed with San Diego in the offseason, inking a three-year, $75 million deal that includes opt-outs after the 2026 and 2027 seasons, meaning he could very well be with the Padres for just this year.
Given the state of the pitching market, King could bring back a nice return if the organization believes he will opt-out.
