The Padres have one of the best bullpens in baseball, but president of baseball operations AJ Preller seems dissatisfied with his system and is constantly looking for improvements. To that end, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports that Preller is already trying to get help with the Bulls, hoping to get an early deal with a team open to parting ways and throwing in some relief.
It may sound counterintuitive, given that San Diego’s aid agencies are inclusive Mason Miller, Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon again Bradley Rodriguez (1.66 ERA in 21 2/3 innings). San Diego relievers rank seventh in the majors with a 3.32 ERA, second with a 25.5% strikeout rate, first with a 50.8% groundball rate, third with a 3.23 FIP and third with a 3.27 SIERA. But you measure up, boss Craig Stammen (self-liberating) has the nucleus of an elite support unit in place.
The Padres also got good work out of lower-level arms like Ron Marinaccio, Yuki Matsui again Wandy Peralta. The main reason they don’t perform at a high level in most bullpen categories is the lackluster performance of players who have been promoted to short appearances. Alex Jacob, Kyle Hart again David Morgan they posted ERAs north of 5.00 in 33 combined innings. A knuckleballer out of options Matt Waldron pitched three innings of “relief” (two after the opener) and was tagged for seven runs in 9 2/3 innings of “relief” before going on the injured list.
The core of San Diego’s bullpen is as strong and deep as any you’ll find in the game, but injuries are inevitable, and the team may be wary of overworking its top arms. Padres relievers rank seventh in the majors with 200 1/3 innings pitched.
The Padres are one of three teams with five hitters who have topped 20 innings this season. They rely heavily on their ‘pen arm movement, and their starters don’t work deep into games. Michael King again Randy Vásquez both have an average of about 5 2/3 frames at first – the king slightly, Vásquez slightly. None of their other launchers average five frames per look (save for Lucas Giolitowho has pitched just one game since signing and went five innings in that first showing).
Few teams are open to selling sides at this point, but it’s worth noting that Preller & Co. they actively seek arms. It’s rare, but there have been a few early-season trades over the past few seasons, as the Padres knew firsthand. Pick them up Luis Arraez in an early May swap with Miami back in 2024. Last year, we saw the Brewers get it Quinn Priester from the Red Sox in April and the Giants acquired Rafael Devers from the Red Sox in June. Earlier this month, San Francisco traded Patrick Bailey in Cleveland.
There is no shortage of teams eyeing advanced play-off opportunities at the moment. Many were expected to be in this position, but the Giants, Astros, Royals, Tigers, Orioles and Mets all entered this season hoping to contend. All at least seven games under .500. The Angels and Rockies have two of the worst records in baseball. Not everyone from that group will raise the white flag early. Most won’t, actually. The Tigers won’t trade the start of their last guaranteed year Tarik Skubal. The Mets have been playing better ball lately and trending in the right direction. The Orioles likely won’t trade any significant pieces this early, either.
One thing to consider when looking at any trade scenarios for the Padres is the impending ownership change. The Seidler family has a deal to sell to billionaire Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones. Lin reports that the ownership duo is willing to spend to bring the title to San Diego, although the extent of that fact is unclear. Still, the Padres operated on a tight budget late in the season, so any potential budget increase is welcome news to their fans.
Lin counts the Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman as an arm that has long been on the Padres’ radar, but there is no indication that the Red Sox are looking to trade any pieces yet despite a poor 22-27 start to their season. Lin also speculates on the potential interest in a Josh Hader reunion. With a $19MM annual salary for a Houston club that is 11 games under .500, Hader makes a reasonable goal. That’s doubly true given the Padres’ thin farm system. If Hader hits the market and the new ownership is really willing to increase the salary, the Friars could offer to take on most or all of Hader’s contract to reduce the expected costs. Hader has not come this season due to biceps tendinitis and ended last week on the shelf with a shoulder injury. There is nothing to suggest that the two sides have discussed trade restrictions, but on paper, the similarities make sense.
Other names for help that may hit the market sometime in the next few months include Antonio Senzatela, Steven Okert, Bryan Abreu, Brooks Raley, Matt Strahm, Anthony Bender, Taylor Rogers again Andrew Kittredgeto name just a few. The market will start to look good in the coming weeks, but if either club decides to show they’re willing to part with some veteran talent, it sounds like the Padres will be willing to engage in negotiations to bolster an already strong reliever pool.
