The San Diego Padres are currently 38-30, two games back from the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the National League West.
The Padres basically have it all. They have stars like Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill. They have a solid starting rotation even without Michael King. They have one of the best bullpens in Major League Baseball.
However, the one glaring weakness for the Padres is left field.
Jason Heyward, Tyler Wade and Brandon Lockridge have platooned and haven’t provided much offense for San Diego.
If the Padres want to win the NL West, an upgrade in left field at the trade deadline is critical for their success.
“Padres left fielders rank 28th in the Majors with a 55 WRC+ and 25th with -0.6 fWAR,” wrote FanSided’s Zachary Rotman. “Fortunately, if there’s a GM Padres fans can trust to plug a hole in an aggressive manner, it’s A.J. Preller. San Diego has prospects it can trade, and if there’s an optimal fit, Preller will get the deal done, even if he has to overpay slightly.”
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Preller is notorious for being an aggressive general manager and has had his sights on an All-Star left fielder from the American League.
Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran has been in trade rumors for several weeks and the Padres seem like the best fit for the 28-year-old.
If Duran is too expensive and/or the Red Sox don’t want to give him up, there are other left fielders who could be available.
Los Angeles Angels left fielder Taylor Ward and Miami Marlins left fielder Kyle Stowers are having great seasons on rebuilding teams and should be easier to acquire.
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