This trade would land the Padres a starter and a key bat.
The San Diego Padres currently are in possession of the third National League Wild Card spot. They went 52-44 in the first half of the season and are 5 1/2 games back in the NL West.
They'll likely be aggressive buyers this year at the trade deadline. They have a few needs to address, including the starting rotation and outfield.
They had a quiet offseason, with their only major free agent signing being Nick Pivetta.
Mike Axisa of CBS Sports predicts that San Diego will make a trade with the Baltimore Orioles to land pitcher Zach Eflin and outfielder Cedric Mullins.
" I just know the Orioles are likely to move their veteran rentals, Eflin and Mullins included, and to never bet against Padres GM A.J. Preller making a big trade," Axisa wrote.
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Eflin is currently on the injured list. He is 6-5 with a 5.95 ERA in 12 starts with the Orioles this year. But once he gets healthy, he could be an attractive rental starter to contending teams.
Mullins is also not having his best season, slashing .218/.302/.411 with 13 home runs, 41 RBI, 13 stolen bases and a .713 OPS. However, Baltimore is out of contention.
Perhaps joining a contending team such as the Padres will allow both Eflin and Mullins to rediscover their old form. Mullins is a former All-Star and Silver Slugger, while Eflin has experience pitching in the postseason.
The Padres need to fill these holes if they want to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers. We'll see how they approach the deadline and addressing their needs.
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Category: Baseball
