Padres should exploit Braves’ catcher surplus to fix their biggest weakness

As the July 31 trade deadline inches ever closer, the Padres sit at 58–49 and hold down the last remaining Wild Card spot. Despite holding onto a playoff spot with a solid record, we believe the outlook for this team going forward could look much better if they make a move at the following position.

A catcher is almost never going to be your best hitter and likely won’t even be one of your best three. But the tandem of Elías Díaz and Martín Maldonado at catcher has been so bad that it has actively cost the Padres games. With a combined WAR of -0.7, almost anyone in the league could suit up at catcher and be an upgrade over what the team currently has.

The Cincinnati Reds sit two games back of the final Wild Card spot, and while they play in a much more forgiving division, the path to getting there is possible. That is why it is vital for A.J. Preller to get on the phone and make a call to one team in particular to facilitate this dire need, and that is the Atlanta Braves.

Padres could address a key need by swinging a deal for Braves’ Murphy

The Braves have stated that they have no interest in trading Sean Murphy. But with the team sitting 12 games back of a Wild Card spot, their chances of making the postseason in 2025 are practically dead. While Murphy is under team control through 2028, Atlanta has found a young star who could seriously benefit from more playing time.

Drake Baldwin has been solid for Atlanta in his rookie campaign, putting up a slash line of .279/.351/.469 with an OPS of .820. The 24-year-old has started only about half of the team's games this year as he has been splitting time behind the plate with Murphy.

On the other hand, Sean Murphy has been just as big an offensive threat. While he is only batting around .230, he walks a lot more and has a slugging percentage of .491. These two factors contribute to his solid OPS of .813. On top of solid offense, Murphy’s defense is a major attribute to his game, logging above average numbers in many key defensive categories.

Atlanta has the chance to get Murphy’s salary off of their payroll, while also giving one of their up and coming stars more playing time. This move makes so much sense for both teams as the Padres are in desperate need for catcher production, while Atlanta could be in the market to shop one of theirs. 

The Padres have what it takes to make it happen, with a prospect such as Ethan Salas as a potential piece to include in the package. Not to mention throwing Dylan Cease in the deal as well since Atlanta is in desperate need of starting pitching. Nonetheless, it will certainly worth keeping an eye on as everything comes down to the wire.

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