Padres Rumors: Reporter hints San Diego could use expiring deals to fill roster holes

Just over a week before the MLB trade deadline, Padres fans are probably all asking themselves the same question. What does AJ Preller have up his sleeve this time?

San Diego has been treated to remarkable trade deadline acquisitions in recent years. Most notably, 2022 saw the team bring over Juan Soto and Josh Bell in a blockbuster deal with the Washington Nationals. Naturally, with a team full of holes, the Padres are going to have to wheel and deal again this year at the deadline, so what could be in store for the Friars?

According to ESPN's most recent trade deadline rumor tracker, Preller will need to get creative at this year's deadline.

"Preller might have to get creative in order to address his needs. One way he can do that is by buying and selling simultaneously," writes ESPN.

San Diego could use pending free agents to fill holes

The piece went on to suggest San Diego could trade Dylan Cease, Luis Arraez, Michael King or Robert Suarez in an effort to fill holes by trading from a position of strength. All four players are on expiring contracts, and San Diego might be wise to recoup value from their pending free agents.

The problem for San Diego is that this strategy does not make much sense. The Padres need all the help they can get if they are going to make a run in the NL Playoffs. King and Cease have been the anchors of the rotation, and the Padres do not even have a full rotation to begin with. They are probably going to need to add a starter at the deadline, and subtracting one of their top two starters before the playoffs seems absurd.

Suarez, meanwhile, has been the anchor of the club's bullpen. While the pen does not need much improvement, trading their closer ahead of the playoffs is a risky move. San Diego could move Jason Adam into the closer role and slot Adrian Morejon as their setup man. That would replace Suarez, but it still weakens the pen significantly.

That leaves Arraez, and the first baseman does feel like the Padres' best trade chip. The only problem is that it feels like nobody would want him. Arraez has been a below-average bat this season and has been worth 0.5 bWAR. Which contender is going to jump to bring on a struggling veteran on an expiring deal? There likely is not a suiter for him.

Ultimately, Suarez would probably make the most sense to deal away, considering the strong position San Diego's bullpen is in. But San Diego should be careful trading from their rotation, and make sure they don't get worse when trying to get better.

More San Diego Padres News and Rumors