The San Diego Padres are predicted to get 'creative' at the trade deadline amid a barren farm system.
As the MLB trade deadline is approaching, the San Diego Padres' chances of making a deal swing back and forth. While the front office is looking to land a star, their trade chips are, seemingly, not enough in the eyes of teams around baseball.
With the Padres' "bare" farm system, Dennis Lin of The Athletic mentions how the team could look to get "creative" at the MLB trade deadline to land the ideal players.
"Still, his current roster combined star talent with significant gaps." Lin wrote. "It seems the Padres will have to get creative to give themselves a legitimate chance of playing deep into October."
There are a couple of ways the Padres could get creative at the deadline, as opposed to just buying or selling players with prospects. A.J. Preller and the Padres could look to swing deals with more than just one team.
Three-team deals could help the Padres land the players they want. If they want Jarren Duran from the Boston Red Sox, and the Red Sox don't want the prospects in San Diego, the Padres could find a third team to bring into the deal to help facilitate things.
While that'd add an extra layer of complexity to negotiations, to land a player of Duran's caliber, it'd be more than worth the extra effort. But, if a three-team trade isn't possible, the Padres could also buy and sell in the same deal.
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There are teams around baseball that'd be interested in some of the expiring contracts on the roster. Dylan Cease, Robert Suarez, or maybe even Michael King could fetch a decent return in a deal.
Jake Cronenworth, while under contract for more than 2025, could also be a trade chip. To land the ideal catcher or left fielder, the Padres could look to move on from certain positions that either have solid depth or other options in the minors.
There are a lot of different paths the Padres could take. And, as Lin puts it, "If nothing else, Preller's history suggests that almost everything is on the table."
Preller and the Padres will look to make additions at the deadline, and sitting just 0.5 games up on the San Francisco Giants for the third and final NL Wild Card spot, the Padres can't afford to sit still at the deadline.
With a lackluster farm system compared to years past, the Padres could look to get creative and land their desired players in unconventional ways. Preller will be buying in the next few weeks and could begin cooking up some creative deals at the deadline.
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Category: Baseball
