Padres reportedly drawing line in the sand that could cost them at the trade deadline

The San Diego Padres are rumored to be buyers at the MLB trade deadline. Great! But they're reportedly not willing to move some of their top assets. That could be a problem.

The Padres have it made it well known that top prospect Ethan Salas is untouchable at the trade deadline. One of the top young players in baseball is expected to be a major piece of the Padres future and president of baseball operations AJ Preller has no plans to include his young backstop in any deals before the deadline next Tuesday.

But Leodalis De Vries is reportedly off limits too. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN (subscription required), Preller is unwilling to trade the Padres' young shortstop. That may cost the Friars at the deadline.

If the Padres don't trade Ethan Salas or Leodalis De Vries, they're not getting Garrett Crochet

Without Salas or De Vries as the headliner, Pads fans can forget the idea of adding Chicago White Sox starter Garrett Crochet (or someone of his caliber). Preller has been enamored with the White Sox ace, but without including one of the Padres top prospects, there's zero chance San Diego pulls off a blockbuster deal with the South Siders.

That's not to say that San Diego can't upgrade the rotation. There are other pitchers of note that could be had for less than what it would take to acquire Crochet. Hurlers like Jack Flaherty, Michael Lorenzen, and Jameson Taillon are also said to be available at the trade deadline.

While none of those names carry the same appeal as a pitcher like Crochet, if Salas and De Vries are untouchable, that's what Preller and Co. will be left with at the deadline. As Passan correctly points out, while the Friars also have highly-regarded arms like Robby Snelling and Dylan Lesko in the farm system, both pitchers are having down years.

Preller will have to make at least one of Salas or De Vries available if he wants to land a big fish by Tuesday. Otherwise, bigger offers are sure to trump whatever the Padres have on the table.

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