Padres' August surge fueled by instant impact from trade deadline additions

An exceptional start to the month of August for the Padres has them in great shape, going 7-3 during this stretch against solid competition. Now sitting only a single game back of the Dodgers for first place in the division, the Friar Faithful should be thankful for what the deadline acquisition have done for their team.

To say that A.J. Preller was “aggressive” is an understatement, as the team sold off all their top prospects, completely realigning the future. The most notable trade impacted the bullpen, as the Padres acquired Mason Miller from the Athletics in exchange for a handful of prospects, including the No. 3 ranked prospect in all of baseball in Leo De Vries.

But which trade piece has provided the biggest boost to what is already a strong force? Have they had any signature moments in brown and yellow? Who has provided the most value to the team? Below is a ranking and a breakdown of how each piece has perfectly meshed with an already dangerous lineup.

New Padres additions have already contributed to red-hot San Diego team this month

Ramón Laureano (LF)

Acquired along with Ryan O’Hearn from the Baltimore Orioles, Laureano seamlessly addressed the need for a left fielder. While his defense could use some improvement, Laureano has provided a consistent bat in the lineup. Since making the move across the country, the 31-year-old has accumulated an OPS of .791 and a wRC+ of 121 in ten games with his new teams.

Laureano also delivered a walk-off chopper into left field to help the Padres walk off the Boston Red Sox in extra innings. One of the better first impressions we’ve seen for a player on a new team.

Freddy Fermín (C)

As the trade deadline approached, it was no question that the Padres needed an offensive boost at the catcher position. Elías Díaz and Martín Maldonado provided no spark at the back-end of the lineup. So the front office made the trade with the Kansas City Royals that sent Freddy Fermín to Southern California. While at first glance it wasn’t the flashiest move, Fermín has been incredibly consistent at the plate.

In his first eight games with the Padres, Fermín is batting .370 with a wRC+ of 168. While a small sample size, the numbers are significantly better than that of his time in Kansas City where his wRC+ sat around 90 points less than what it’s been during his time in San Diego. His slugging percentage is also 180 points higher. An excellent find by Preller and his team, expect Fermín to be a solid bat at the back-end of the lineup down the line.

Ryan O’Hearn (DH/1B)

The other half of the trade with Baltimore has also paid dividends for the club, as O’Hearn has been incredibly reliable in the designated-hitter position. The 32-year-old on a contract year is  batting .273 with an OPS of .821, another productive bat to add to an already potent offense.

While the future of O’Hearn beyond 2025 is unknown, his presence in the lineup for this season could help the Padres make a deep run in October. A solid move to acquire both O’Hearn and Laureano to fill positional needs on the roster. 

O’Hearn hit a clutch game-tying homer in the series finale against Arizona last week that helped the Padres leave the desert with a series win.

Mason Miller (RP)

While it was definitely the flashiest move that the Padres made at the deadline, I believe this move addressed the need that was least needed. San Diego already has four incredibly reliable arms in Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam, and Robert Suarez. Those four combined make up for an ERA of 2.35 and a WHIP of 1.01, which are elite numbers that are well above league average.

While acquiring Miller adds to what is already an elite bullpen, the price the front office paid could impact the team a few years down the line. One of the key pieces they had to let go was MLB’s No. 3 overall prospect, Leo De Vries.

But in the long run, this move could pay off big time as Mason Miller could be the team’s future at the closer position. With it being almost certain that the team’s current closer Robert Suarez declines his player-option, Miller could fill right in for 2026 and beyond. Afterall, he isn’t slated to hit free agency until 2030.

In five appearances with his new team, Miller has posted an ERA of 3.38 with an elite strikeouts per nine of 20.25. He did let up a game-tying home run to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the second of three games against the Diamondbacks, a game where the Padres won 10–5 in extra innings. So far, Miller is 1-for-2 on save opportunities with the Padres.

Every player that Preller brought in at the trade deadline has made an impact, and are huge reasons why this team is in the running for their first division championship since 2006. Buckle up, it truly is coming down to the wire here in Southern California.