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Teams are calling about Padres catchers and Ethan Salas changes what A.J. Preller can ask for

Bring a starter or we’ll see all three catchers in Peoria.
ByTremayne Person
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Sep 14, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Bradgley Rodriguez (72) and catcher Freddy Fermin (54) in the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Sep 14, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Bradgley Rodriguez (72) and catcher Freddy Fermin (54) in the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While A.J. Preller fields calls about their catcher room, we could only hope he’s asking who that team is willing to take out of their rotation. MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell reported from the GM Meetings that the Padres are drawing trade interest in Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano. Preller has every reason to have those conversations. Michael King and Nick Pivetta are free agents, and there are enough openings behind them that Preller joked a guess of three or four starters was low. In this situation, that can actually afford to be picky.

Ethan Salas bought them room with his September debut. The 20-year-old hit .256 with a .737 OPS in 16 regular-season games and caught three more in the postseason. He’ll be competing for more looks heading into 2027. But their trust with him allows them to have a conversation about trading one of their catchers.

The Padres can find work for all three catchers

Craig Stammen made three catchers work late last year. He could pinch-hit for the guy behind the plate and still have a catcher in reserve. He could also get Campusano or Salas into the lineup at DH. Salas gave him a left-handed option to work with.

We’d feel each departure differently. Campusano hit .265 with a .795 OPS in 2026. Fermin finished at .589, though he didn’t make a huge offensive impact, he was a Gold Glove finalist. There’s a place for that glove on a team breaking in a young catcher and potentially turning over most of its rotation. Both players have multiple years of club control, which is part of the appeal for the teams calling and part of the reason Preller can wait.

What kind of return should the Padres command?

A dependable No. 4 would do. The Padres have enough rotation spots to fill without spending one of their better trade chips on a pitcher they’d have to stretch out in spring training and hope he works out. A deal should take a job off Preller’s offseason list.

We’d be quicker to move Fermin for that arm. Campusano’s bat gives Stammen more ways to keep both him and Salas involved, even as Salas starts taking more innings behind the plate. A team that values Fermin’s defense could make that choice easy. A team that wants Campusano should have to put a better starter on the table.

And if the best offer is a back-end lottery ticket, bring all three catchers to spring training. The teams calling Preller are trying to solve a problem behind the plate. They can have one of San Diego’s catchers when they’re ready to solve a problem for the Padres, too.

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