Padres are prepared for any scenario ahead of Trade Deadline

This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat e-newsletter. To learn the total e-newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it repeatedly in your inbox.

Final October, the Padres’ season ended with three straight losses in Philadelphia.

And, no, their 2023 season didn’t finish with the identical outcome this weekend. Nevertheless it’s hanging by a thread — and so they’re operating out of time and runway to place themselves as consumers forward of the Commerce Deadline.

That Aug. 1 Deadline looms simply over two weeks away, and Padres brass has repeatedly expressed its intent to method it as consumers. However that was all the time contingent on the group finally asserting itself as a contender.

After three losses in two days — together with a brutal 12-inning defeat on Sunday which dropped San Diego to a mind-numbing 0-9 in further innings — right here’s the truth of the place issues stand: The Padres are 44-50 and eight video games out of a playoff spot, needing to leap at the least three groups presently six video games above them within the National League standings.

Normal supervisor A.J. Preller spoke on MLB Community Radio previous to Sunday’s sequence finale, and he bolstered the notion that his desire is to purchase. However he definitely hasn’t dedicated to that. In his latest interviews, Preller has left himself room to pivot, relying on how the Padres end the month.

“You by no means actually need to trip the wave game-to-game or something like that, however from our standpoint, yeah, we’ve obtained selections to make over the subsequent few weeks,” Preller stated. “Your group sort of tells you the place issues are at. … We’ve obtained our work minimize out for us. I believe we’ll be ready in all completely different situations on the Deadline.

“I believe the largest factor is: We like our group and our membership. Attempt to get to a spot the place we may also help fortify some areas. That’s all a part of the analysis course of within the subsequent couple weeks — seeing the place we’re at and attempt to make good selections once we get to the Deadline.”

If the Padres purchase, their wants are pretty apparent. Their lack of pitching depth has been uncovered — each within the bullpen and rotation. They might additionally use one other bat, doubtlessly a DH kind who may play some proper discipline if Fernando Tatis Jr. had been to shift to middle sometimes.

The Padres virtually definitely wouldn’t have to half with any of their big-name prospects to fill these wants. Depth starters, center relievers and offense-only outfielders are plentiful.

However at what level do the Padres take a look at their place within the standings and ask themselves whether or not it’s price sacrificing future belongings to spice up the ’23 group?

Taking {that a} step additional, at what level do they take a look at their free-agents-to-be — particularly Blake Snell, Josh Hader and Seth Lugo– and ask themselves if it’s time to recoup some worth?

Based mostly on Preller’s latest feedback, the Padres haven’t reached that time simply but. (And maybe there’s a center floor the place they promote their rental items to deliver again huge league-ready depth gamers with group management.)

But when the Padres need to view themselves as consumers, they’ve obtained all of 13 video games to make their case.