3 catchers the Padres could trade for at MLB trade deadline instead of Willson Contreras

The San Diego Padres are reportedly one of several teams targeting Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras. The Houston Astros have most recently been linked to Contreras, so there’s a realistic chance the Padres won’t land him.

The Padres need improvements from catchers in the lineup. Austin Nola and Jorge Alfaro aren’t producing consistent results that San Diego needs, so a catcher should be a priority by the trade deadline.

These three catchers should be traded for at the deadline.

Oakland Athletics: Sean Murphy

Oakland Athletics catcher Sean Murphy is having a decent season and is hitting .244/.322/.426 for an OPS of .748. He has the fourth-best FanGraphs WAR (2.7) among all catchers in MLB.

He’s also hitting better than Nola and Alfaro. Nola isn’t likely to be replaced since he’s the only catcher Yu Darvish pitches to, but he could replace Alfaro. Alfaro is hitting .278/.313/.434 and has poor walk and strikeout percentages (4.7 and 33.6).

Murphy would also bring power to the lineup. He has an isolated power of .182, which would be the third-highest in San Diego. He also earned a Gold Glove award in 2021, proving he’s defensively reliable.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, “The greater appeal is what Murphy offers behind the plate. Owner of an elite arm and consistently strong pitch framing numbers, he’s easily a plus defender.”

Colorado Rockies: Elias Diaz

Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz is currently having one of his best seasons. He’s hitting .243/.306/.392 for an OPS of .698.

Though Diaz isn’t a power hitter, he’d still help improve the lineup. He’s hitting better than Nola, who is currently hitting .244/.313/.312. He’d also have the sixth-best isolated power in San Diego (.149).

He has a walk percentage of 7.8 and strikeout percentage of 20.8, which are just slightly worse than Nola’s. Though he wouldn’t compare to Contreras, he’d help bring the team in the right direction and would be under club control until 2025.

Detroit Tigers: Tucker Barnhart

Detroit Tigers catcher Tucker Barnhart seems to be having a tough season, but his consistent past shows much more potential in the lineup. This season, he’s hitting .208/.266/.242 for an OPS of .508.

Last season, he hit significantly better at .247/.317/.368 for an OPS of .685. He also typically hits with decent power. Last season, he had an isolated power of .121 and in 2020, he produced a high .184.

Considering his past, Barnhart would be a big upgrade to the San Diego lineup. He’s great defensively as well. He won two Gold Glove awards. According to MLive, he’s one of the most likely players in Detroit to get traded in the next week.