Padres should demand an impact bat in any Jeremiah Estrada trade

If the Padres end up trading Jeremiah Estrada, we should be able to find the payoff in the starting lineup. Yes, an everyday hitter. That should be the price of admission. Estrada should help the Padres solve a baseball problem substantial enough to justify creating another one in their bullpen.

That might be a bit demanding. But there’s a reasonable argument for listening. If San Diego believes its relief group can remain competitive through offseason departures, dealing from that group could help address needs elsewhere. It’s a possibility that A.J. Preller should explore. Building the strongest bullpen imaginable loses some appeal if the offense can’t stack on some run support.

The Padres need an everyday return for a bullpen sacrifice

An impact bat doesn’t have to arrive in the form of a superstar. We’re just asking for someone who belongs in the lineup regularly. Estrada has given the Padres enough reason to set that standard.

He punched out 94 hitters in 61 innings in 2024, then followed with 108 in 73 innings in 2025. That’s 202 strikeouts across 134 innings, roughly 13.6 per nine. His ERAs in those seasons were 2.95 and 3.45.

Two seasons of giving hitters fits. He isn’t scheduled to reach free agency until 2030, giving an acquiring club three seasons before he can hit the open market. That gives the Padres a stronger negotiating position than they would have with a reliever approaching his final summer under contract.

We should expect the return to reflect that combination of strikeout ability and multiple years of use. But the Padres also have to sell the pitcher Estrada is today. His 2026 season supplied reasons for buyers to push back.

Injuries limited him to just 31 innings. His strikeout rate fell from 35.5 percent in 2025 to 30.2 percent, while his walk rate climbed from 8.9 percent to 12.7 percent. He still missed bats, but he gave away more baserunners and offered far less availability. Three IL trips, including one for a shoulder impingement also belong in the conversation. So, it’s like it’s been all sunny skies. 

That makes an everyday impact bat a defensible asking price, rather than a return we can assume Estrada will fetch by himself. Depending on the hitter’s quality, salary and remaining control, the Padres might need to add to the package.

The weakest justification would be moving Estrada primarily to make another salary fit. Sure, payroll is important. But so is what comes with the team who works within it. 

Bullpen depth gives Preller something to work with. And it also requires judgment. Every departure increases the burden on the pitchers who remain. But if another club wants Estrada badly enough, ask for the hitter who changes the lineup. If the offer doesn’t reach that level, keep the arm and find another way to pay for the offense.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow