As the MLB trade deadline creeps closer, San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller finds himself under the microscope yet again. Preller’s known for his wild, sometimes head-scratching approach to building a roster.
The pressure’s on to fix a team that’s lost its way in 2023. With the Padres struggling to score and juggling a shaky pitching staff, rival execs are calling for a shakeup.
But with Preller, you never really know what’s coming. The next few days could change the franchise’s direction for years—or just leave fans scratching their heads.
High Hopes, Troubling Results: Padres’ 2023 Struggles
The Padres opened the 2023 season with massive expectations after spending big on stars like Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Xander Bogaerts. The results? Nowhere near what they paid for.
They’re sitting 25th in runs per game, which is honestly pretty brutal for a team built to mash. The offense just hasn’t shown up.
Preller says he needs “a bat or two” to jolt the lineup. But where do you even start?
Left field and catcher look like the weakest spots. The Padres are scrambling for upgrades with the clock ticking.
And here’s the kicker: their payroll sits at $261 million, well over the luxury tax line. That makes things tight—maybe too tight for comfort.
Pitching Positives and Problems
While the bats have gone cold, San Diego’s pitching staff has somehow hung in there. Injuries and inconsistency have hit the rotation hard, but a few lesser-known arms—Randy Vásquez, Ryan Bergert, and Stephen Kolek—have stepped up.
Preller’s knack for finding these guys keeps the group afloat, even after losing key free-agent pitchers last offseason.
Looking ahead, the futures of Dylan Cease, Michael King, and Robert Suarez are up in the air. All three could hit free agency soon.
Does Preller risk losing them for nothing, or does he try to flip them for value at the deadline?
The A.J. Preller Factor: Bold Moves on the Horizon?
Preller’s name always pops up around the deadline because he loves bold, sometimes wild moves. He’ll buy, sell, or do both at once—whatever it takes to shake things up.
That unpredictability makes him one of the most interesting execs in baseball, for better or worse.
Trading Dylan Cease: A Possibility?
One rumor floating around: a trade involving Dylan Cease. Trading a top starter while still trying to contend sounds nuts, but maybe it’s what the Padres need.
They could use Cease to bring in the offense they’re missing, or maybe reload the farm system that’s been drained by years of “win-now” trades.
Top prospects like Leodalis De Vries and Ethan Salas are exciting, but they’re not ready yet. A Cease trade could help the team balance now and later—if Preller pulls it off.
Luxury Tax Blues and Deadline Decisions
The Padres’ lack of financial wiggle room hangs over everything Preller does. They’re already past the luxury tax threshold, so any big move comes with extra risk.
Preller’s never been shy about spending or getting creative, but he’s got to thread the needle this time.
Fans and analysts keep asking: can he fix the offense and handle the pitching mess in one go? Will he trade, promote from within, or spring another classic Preller surprise?
A Crucial Deadline for San Diego
The stakes are sky-high. The Padres are at a crossroads in their chase for a first World Series title.
Will Preller pull off another deadline masterstroke, or is this the year his gamble finally backfires?
Final Thoughts: What Lies Ahead?
Padres fans know all about A.J. Preller’s wild decision-making. The 2023 trade deadline looks like it’ll be another unpredictable ride.
The team’s got plenty of issues, from slumping hitters to a rotation that just can’t seem to settle down. Preller’s track record? He could pull off anything—maybe a surprise trade, maybe something nobody’s guessed yet.
Time’s running out, and everyone in MLB seems glued to what Preller does next. Will he chase a miracle for this season, or start thinking about the long game instead?
Either way, it’s shaping up to be a deadline that keeps Padres fans talking—and maybe even arguing—long after it’s over.
Here is the source article for this story: Rosenthal: Why Padres GM A.J. Preller’s trade deadline approach will be as urgent as ever
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