The San Diego Padres’ aggressive moves at the trade deadline were bound to create a ripple effect felt throughout their active roster.
The club has already demoted two of its starting pitchers — Randy Vásquez and JP Sears — to the minor leagues in the last four days. The Padres’ roster continued churning even more following an announcement from the team on Wednesday, which stated it had released catcher Martín Maldonado and outrighted outfielder Tyler Wade to the El Paso Chihuahuas, the organization’s Triple-A affiliate.
Maldonado, a World Series champion with the Houston Astros in 2022, signed a minor-league deal with the Padres ahead of the 2025 season and saw his contract selected after he made the team’s Opening Day roster. He contributed more strongly on the defensive side of the baseball, as he hit just .204 with four home runs, 12 RBIs and a .572 OPS across 64 appearances this year. Maldonado was designated for assignment along with outfielder Trenton Brooks on July 31.
The following day, Wade was designated for assignment for the second time this season. He has split reps in the starting lineup and on the bench in 2025, putting together a .206/.309/.252 slash line, driving in nine runs and scoring 13 more in 60 games.
Both moves will provide Freddy Fermin, Ramon Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn with expanded roles after all three players were acquired by San Diego ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. Fermin previously served as Salvador Perez’s backup catcher with the Kansas City Royals, while Laureano and O’Hearn (a 2025 All-Star) joined the Padres in another deal with the Baltimore Orioles.
