The closer we get to today’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, the more restless the Friar Faithful become. The rumors have been swirling around the San Diego Padres since last month.
Initially, the club was a potential seller because they were in a dreadful slump. Now, the Padres find themselves in a fight for the final Wild Card berth. They would love to secure starting pitching depth before the deadline.
The activity in the starting-pitching trade market has been heavy, with Tarik Skubal dealt to Los Angeles,
Luis Castillo sent to the Chicago White Sox, Freddy Peralta acquired by Tampa, and Kevin Gausman moved to the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.
Let’s dissect the latest Friars’ trade rumors from the ridiculous to the realistic:
Trading Mason Miller to the New York Mets for Juan Soto
No question, the New York Mets are in sell mode, having traded several pieces off the roster this past weekend. The club’s payroll ($363 million) is too high for a team mired in last place.
But a silly rumor was discussed on SiriusXM yesterday. It was a straight-up swap, with the Mets sending Juan Soto to the Padres for Mason Miller. Wishful thinking for the team that resides in Flushing.
The Friars would not be opposed to acquiring another bat, especially given Soto’s previous relationship with the franchise. Unfortunately, this would be a bad move for San Diego.
He holds the largest contract in Major League Baseball history, eclipsing Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million deal before the 2025 season.
Yes, his lefty bat would balance the Padres’ batting order, but Soto is a big-ticket item that has already lost its luster in New York. From San Diego’s perspective, the Mets would need to add several of their young starting pitchers to the mix before team President of Baseball Operations and General Manager AJ Preller would consider such a trade offer.
But let’s not kid ourselves, Preller has no interest in trading Miller.
The Friars adding a bad starting pitcher’s contract
As we hinted earlier, the Padres have shifted into buyers mode ahead of the trade deadline. The team’s improved play has increased speculation that Preller is hopeful of adding a starting pitcher to fuel the postseason push.
It is no secret that the San Francisco Giants want to hit the reset button, as their front office has made Robbie Ray available. Any potential deal is contingent upon the trade partner absorbing the remainder of his 2026 contract. Ray is owed approximately $ 7.3 million for the final two months of the season.
The Friars might be willing to make such a move if the Giants lessen their financial demands to complete a trade. If not, Preller will have to look elsewhere for starting pitching.
Until the franchise’s sale is finalized, the front office cannot add significant salary to the payroll. Preller will be restricted in the type of starter he can acquire. He must convince San Francisco to eat a portion of Ray’s remaining salary for a package of prospects from a depleted farm system. The Friars cannot match other teams’ talented farm systems, but they hope their offer draws interest to continue negotiating.
If the Giants accept the offer, you jump at the opportunity to acquire Ray for the stretch run.
