The San Diego Padres have every right to be picky at the trade deadline

Well, I’ve blinked and suddenly the San Diego Padres are at the trade deadline. Every team’s most gut-wrenching anxiety-inducing time of the year.

If you’re buyers, great, you’ll probably get a sweet few pieces to give yourself that last push to the postseason. If you’re sellers, like our beloved Friars this year, even better. Why? Sure, you may not be in contention this season, but other teams should be willing to cough up some nice pieces for you to build your future with. And the San Diego Padres, in particular, are in one of the best possible positions.

The futures game showed us that the future in San Diego is indeed bright. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Buddy Reed were particularly enjoyable. And Have the potential for a huge impact once they’re ready for their MLB debuts. If the Padres can get a solid return on the likes of Brad Hand and/or Kirby Yates, they could be a club ready to contend sooner than most would assume. MLB Trade rumors suggest that they could have too high of an asking price on Yates. But why shouldn’t they? One team’s postseason piece is another’s 4-year plan to build around.

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Cleveland for example, could desperately use the bullpen help and maybe the Yankees aren’t willing to cough up the “MLB ready” talent, but there’s a team out there that will. Frankly, it puts the Padres in a unique position of power going into the break.

Francisco Mejia would be one possible option as a top prospect the Tribe could send to San Diego in exchange for someone like Hand. In turn, Cleveland gets a closer that helps lower that atrocious bullpen ERA.

The Cubs seemed interested in Hand as well, though they have a bit less to offer as far as prospects go, similar to Boston’s situation. To get Hand or Yates, (or both? I’m not sure what the odds are that one team would be willing to go the distance and scoop them up as a package for an even higher price. I dare to dream.) the Cubs could possibly give up someone like Tommy La Stella, or even Mark Zagunis.

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Regardless of what these trade packages look like, the Padres should absolutely not have to settle for less than what they’re looking for. Someone is always going to be willing to pay.