Padres should return to familiar trade partner for overlooked rotation solution

The San Diego Padres know the Miami Marlins’ front office better than most. If A.J. Preller is serious about shoring up the Padres starting rotation without diving into the deep end of free agency, calling Miami again feels like a necessity.

The Marlins are currently being circled for their big-ticket names: Edward Cabrera and Sandy Alcantara are high on the wishlists for every pitching-starved contender. However, neither is guaranteed to move, and Miami isn’t exactly shy about asking for “premium prospects” in discussions. 

Padres should call the Marlins again for a sneaky answer to their rotation problem

That’s where San Diego’s situation gets interesting. The Padres don’t have the prospect depth to win a bidding war for Alcantara, and they probably shouldn’t be the team that bets the farm on Cabrera’s health. But they do match up perfectly if Miami turns its attention to the bullpen and the middle of the roster — two areas where the Padres could realistically deal from.

The Marlins have already been connected to multiple late-inning arms and leverage relievers. The Padres, meanwhile, have quietly built a relief corps that could spare an arm or two in the right deal, especially if they believe they can keep churning out bullpen help internally. Packaging a controllable reliever with a younger depth starter could be enough to pry loose a “second-tier” Marlins starter who won’t dominate the headlines but can soak up innings behind Nick Pivetta and company.

And then there’s Jake Cronenworth. If Miami really is ready to nudge the payroll up and surround its young core with steadier bats, he fits them almost perfectly — a left-handed hitter who can move around the infield and give competitive at-bats every night. From the Padres’ side, shedding Cronenworth’s deal could be the cleanest way to bring back a solid mid-rotation starter while also creating a little breathing room for whatever upgrades they’ll need to chase at the trade deadline.

No, this isn’t the dream scenario where Alcantara shows up at Petco and instantly becomes the ace. But if San Diego wants to stay afloat in a brutal NL West without detonating what’s left of the farm system, a “boring” trade with a familiar partner in Miami might be the most realistic path.