The San Diego Padres are expected to be buyers at the MLB trade deadline, and with the deadline just a week away entering Thursday, it’s time for trade talks to start heating up.
San Diego is anticipated to make a big splash in the market. One of the Padres’ needs is help at DH, and reports indicate that trade talks with the Atlanta Braves are intensifying.
The Braves are expected to sell whatever tradeable assets they have. There have been rumors of them shopping their bullpen pieces away for prospects, but with a new report, it feels almost certain they will move a big-time slugger.
Padres Could Be the Favorites to Trade For Ozuna
Trade Talks Have Intensified
There was a report that came out this week that indicated that the Padres and Braves were in deep talks about three-time All-Star DH Marcell Ozuna, who is thought to be one of those pieces being moved by Atlanta.
MLB insider Héctor Gómez believes that the trade talks between the two teams have “intensified” and a deal may be imminent. He notes that the Padres are very interested in Ozuna, and a source tells him that there are also two prospects involved that would be sent to Atlanta.
Ozuna Needs a Fresh Start
Ozuna hit 40 home runs in 2023 and was one shy of that mark last season. However, he hasn’t quite lived up to those power numbers that we’re used to this year, which has contributed to the Braves’ struggles this season. Ozuna has just 13 home runs this season and his average is just .235, down nearly 70 points from last season. Ozuna had two fabulous seasons with the Braves in 2023 and 2024, so some regression feels normal.
If the Padres do land Ozuna, he could be rejuvenated and turn his season around because he would now be playing for a playoff contender. In the report by Gómez, he named prospects Francis Pena and Ryan Bergert as the two players Atlanta would land in the deal. Ozuna is also on an expiring contract and is set to be a free agent at year’s end, so this feels like a fair asking price.
Padres Deadline Outlook
You can never count out AJ Preller when it comes to the trade market. The Padres’ president of baseball operations has made some of the biggest splashes at this point of the year, and many expect him to do just the same this year. With the Los Angeles Dodgers slipping as of late, the Padres are back in the National League West race with a lot of baseball left to be played.
Aside from power bats, it’s also been reported that the Padres are shopping for a depth starter and another lefty-bat. There are plenty of starter options on the market this season, and it’s just a matter of whether San Diego wants to enter a bidding war for them or not. With the trade deadline closing in fast, trade proposals should start ramping up. Expect the Padres to be at the forefront of some of those conversations, whether they land Ozuna or not, as they know that the Dodgers will be aggressively looking to improve their team as well.
Final Thoughts
The Padres are in a “win-now mode” and could greatly benefit from Ozuna’s power to bolster their lineup, especially at DH, where they’ve struggled to find consistency.
Ozuna to the Padres is certainly not a done deal yet. There are other potential landing spots for Ozuna, like the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, and San Francisco Giants. However, the current buzz strongly suggests that the Padres are the most likely destination for Ozuna at the moment, as they are the most motivated to make a deal happen.
