Padres sign division rival All-Star catcher after surprising release

When it comes to the San Diego Padres (or any team for that matter) making moves at this point of the season, they are extremely likely to be minor additions unless it is promoting a big-time prospect. Waiver wire trades are a thing of the past, so you are either signing a guy that got DFA'd and no one wanted or you are shopping in the true bargain bin of free agents on a minor-league deal.

For the Padres, they don't really "need" any upgrades for their roster right now. They handled their business at the trade deadline with an infusion of arms for their bullpen, and the bulk of their roster improvements were going to have come from guys like Yu Darvish and Fernando Tatis Jr. returning from the injured list in the coming weeks. Sure, it would be sweet to be able to swing a last-minute monster trade for a guy that could get you over the hump in the postseason, but there are good reasons not to allow for moves like that.

That said, AJ Preller just isn't going to allow an opportunity to provide more depth to this very good Padres team pass him by. On Monday, San Diego signed former All-Star catcher Elias Diaz to a minor league deal after he was released by the division-rival Colorado Rockies.

Padres News: San Diego adds catcher Elias Diaz with Luis Campusano struggling

The most important part of this deal is when it happened. For a player to be eligible for the postseason, they must be members of the team by Aug. 31. The Padres made this move not as a "break glass in case of emergency" option, but as an option to field the best roster possible during the playoffs. Diaz was an All-Star with the Rockies in 2023 and, while his .693 OPS and batted ball profile this season are not great, he is still a very solid defender behind the plate, which is what San Diego needs from him.

The Padres have to be thrilled with what they've gotten from Kyle Higashioka as a Soto trade throw-in. He has 15 homers, calls good games, and is a fantastic framer. However, Luis Campusano has struggled in nearly every aspect of the game and has been banged up throughout 2024.

As things stand, it feels very likely that San Diego could turn to Diaz to pair with Higashioka for the playoffs. That plan does probably require Diaz to come up very soon and get to know the pitching staff, but Campusano's struggles behind the plate may mean that doing that will be a net-win for the Pads.

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