In the midst of doubts about A.J. Preller’s ability to deal this trade deadline from a minor league system that has been widely judged to be lacking high-end talent, there was an up-front reminder that he has year after year found a way to make things happen.
The depth and breadth of Preller’s capabilities were on display when the Padres were in Miami this past weekend.
Playing for the Marlins were four players traded by Preller when they were Padres minor leaguers.
There was second baseman Xavier Edwards, who was part of the haul sent to the Rays in 2019 for Jake Cronenworth and Tommy Pham; he was later acquired by the Marlins.
There was also center fielder Esteury Ruiz, part of the Josh Hader trade with the Brewers in 2022 and, three trades later, now a Marlin.
There was third baseman Graham Pauley, who was part of the trade that got Bryan Hoeing and Tanner Scott from the Marlins in 2024. And there was center fielder Jakob Marsee, part of the Luis Arraez trade earlier in ‘24.
Yes, there were other players involved in those four deals. But Edwards was the only top-100 prospect in any of them.
The least transformative of those trades for the Padres was the one for Hoeing and Scott, and those two relievers helped the Padres get to the National League Division Series.
The point is that creativity is not an issue for Preller.
The ultimate results of Preller’s multitudinous machinations can be debated endlessly. But his ability to make them cannot.
And it appears Preller is primed to make some again.
Even before the Padres swept the Marlins and got within two games of a playoff spot, word was that he was leaning toward being a buyer to some extent.
With the trade deadline a week away — next Monday at 3 p.m. PT — the Padres appear headed toward attempting to improve the 2026 team.
San Diego Padres President of baseball operations A.J. Preller looks on before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park on Thursday, April 9, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The question remaining as the Padres returned home to Petco Park was what that meant.
Some of how Preller and his lieutenants approach the deadline hinges on how the Padres fare this week against the Rockies and Giants, the teams with MLB’s worst and fifth-worst records, and where the Padres end up in the standings by the weekend.
The standings present another dimension of difficulty.
There remain 19 teams sitting in or within two games of a playoff spot. Some of those teams and a couple more on the fringe have yet to signal whether they plan to buy, sell or do nothing.
It simply is not known how many sellers or buyers there will be, though multiple people said they expect it to be an active deadline.
And for all the clear signaling they want to be buyers in some fashion, it is not certain what the Padres will be.
For all their hopes that they can continue to correct course and with a few additions become a team capable of going on a championship run, there has for weeks been a contingency plan.
The Padres have had conversations with other teams regarding their own players. They believe the prospect haul would be massive if they were to unload Mason Miller, Michael King and Adrian Morejón.
They could also soft sell, moving pieces like Ty France or Walker Buehler.
Punting does not seem to be the Padres’ preference. They are going to draw 3 million fans for the third year in a row and believe they have a certain obligation to provide a compelling product.
That does not mean they can’t sell the idea of selling as a prudent reset and quickly getting back to contending in 2027 or ‘28.
But they do not appear ready to walk away from a chance to make the postseason for a third consecutive year for the first time in franchise history.
A part of the discussion, however, is their chances of doing more than making the playoffs. So the calculus being done now is how they (and whether they) can make themselves good enough to play deep into October.
There is a conviction in the organization that the Padres are not that team — or even a legitimate playoff contender — as presently constructed. But there is also the knowledge that a team can be very different at the end of July than what it is at the end of September.
San Diego Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove walks the field before a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
The Padres have been talking about how realistic it is that they might be such a transformed team.
They need at least one frontline starting pitcher plus the healthy return of Joe Musgrove and/or Nick Pivetta by the latter part of August. They could use a higher-leverage reliever, but do believe they will get Jason Adam and Jeremiah Estrada back from the injured list in August. Despite Luis Rengifo putting a jolt in the offense the past week, a left-handed-hitting outfielder is still seen as something just short of imperative.
How exactly the Padres go about making themselves better and the extent to which they attempt to do so is the question.
As of Monday, it was unclear how much money (if any) they would have to commit to the remaining salaries of players they acquire. Their talks with other teams have covered all manner of deals.
In recent years, the week before the deadline is when the Padres’ picture has become clearer— and when ownership has become involved and provided financial parameters.
The belief by those familiar with the team’s discussions is that the Padres will try to improve along the same lines they did at the deadlines 2024 and ‘25 — with minimal money added to the payroll in ‘24 and virtually nothing added last season.
Surprise, AZ – February 21: Ethan Salas #90 of the San Diego Padres sits in the dugout during a spring training game against the Kansas City Royals on February 21, 2026 in Surprise, AZ. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
That could require moving top prospect Ethan Salas, who is not considered untouchable.
Or it could require something like what they did last trade deadline, sending the Orioles the players the Padres had selected with their second, third, fourth, 14th, 17th and 20th picks in the 2024 draft to get Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn (plus have the Orioles pay almost all of what those two players were owed for the rest of the season).
How much the Padres can improve with what is available and what they have available to spend might be a concern.
Creativity is not.