Matthew Lenz

While we are still about a month and a half away from the trade deadline, it's starting to get late early for some teams across Major League Baseball. With the trade deadline set for July 31, we are roughly a month away from the hot stove reaching its inferno. However, there are a handful of teams that we can pretty confidently say are going to be sellers around the deadline. Who are they, what do they have to offer, and how could the San Diego Padres benefit? Let's dive in. Chicago White Sox The White Sox are 12 games below .500 and 13 games out of the playoff spot. They acknowledged a multi-year rebuild over the off-season, so it shouldn't be surprising that they are sellers once again. Potential rentals include outfielders Michael A. Taylor and Austin Slater as well as recently acquired starter Aaron Civale. Otherwise, intriguing players who are controlled beyond 2025 include infielder Josh Rojas and outfielder Mike Tauchman. However, it’s more realistic that teams aggressively kick the tires on outfielder Luis Robert Jr., who has been the subject of trade speculation for a while now. Robert Jr. signed a pre-arbitration extension that included $20 million in team options for 2026 and 2027, which can be bought out for $2 million. Once a top prospect in baseball, the 28-year-old has had a hard time staying healthy throughout his career and has struggled at the plate over the last two seasons. Athletics The Athletics are in a free fall ever since they started their season 22-20. In their last 28 games they have just four wins. While they are a young team with some exciting talent, they're obviously not ready yet and have a handful of rentals that teams could kick the tires on. Most notably are utility players Miguel Andujar and Luis Urias who have both produced above average at the plate this season. Third baseman Gio Urshela is more than two years removed from his last productive season and has a mediocre glove at the hot corner, but could be an intriguing option to handle the short side of a platoon. On the mound, Jose Leclerc and T.J. McFarland are two potential reliever rentals, though Leclerc has been sidelined with a lat strain since April and McFarland has been plain bad. It seems likely that at least one of Andujar, Urias, or Urshela are traded ahead of the deadline. Baltimore Orioles Injuries aside, it's still pretty shocking to see the Orioles struggling this much. After winning 91 games and earning a playoff berth in 2024, they are currently 13 games below .500 and 8.5 games out of a playoff spot. The difference here is that the Orioles are not in the midst of a rebuild, so it's likely they limit their moves to players on expiring deals. Those names include: pitchers Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Gregory Soto as well as outfielder Cedric Mullins. Of those players, Eflin, Sugano, and Soro are having successful seasons on the mound and will draw significant trade interest. However, two names that have been the subject of trade rumors but are controllable beyond 2025 are first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and outfielder Heston Kjerstad. Mountcastle, who will miss the next 8-12 weeks with a hamstring strain, is having a down year with a .628 OPS and two home runs. Kjerstad, who was recently optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, has also struggled this season but has often found himself as the odd man out of a stacked group of young talent. Padres' Needs For the second time, the Padres were recently tied to Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran. If that doesn't tell you what they need, then I don't know what will. Unfortunately, that’s not all they need on the offensive side of the ball. Ranking well below average in OPS at multiple positions, the Padres can use help all over the place. In particular, they may pair well with the Athletics having two versatile infielders potentially available. However, it wouldn't hurt for them to add to their rotation, though that's far from one of their most significant needs. The Padres are also potentially limited in what they can do given their ownership status. In the offseason, it was suspected they would be looking to stay under the luxury tax threshold which, if true, will hamstring them at the deadline. What do you think the Padres should prioritize at the deadline? Join the conversation in the comments! View full article

Right-handed pitcher Ryan Bergert, 25, is expected to be recalled by the San Diego Padres ahead of their Tuesday tilt against the San Francisco Giants. Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune shares that he is being pegged as the Padres' starter, which will be the first of his big-league career. This isn't Bergert's debut as he was first promoted in April where he threw four innings across four relief appearances not allowing a single walk or run, and striking two hitters. He has made 9 starts for Triple A-El Paso posting a 3.75 ERA (5.22 FIP) and a 14.8% K-BB rate. It's unclear how temporary his spot in the rotation is but, at a minimum, he's tonights solution to a rotation who has lost Michael King and Yu Darvish to injury. Should the Padres be more aggressive on the trade market to address the injuries in the rotation or is backfilling with minor league depth the best route for now? Join the conversation in the comments! View full rumor

The San Diego Padres injury woes continued in Sunday after their primary designated hitter, Gavin Sheets, crashed into the left field wall in Sunday's 6-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Sheets, who has an .817 OPS and 11 home runs on the year, has arguably been the Padres most reliable hitter this season. It's unclear how long he may be sidelined, but even a short stint will be magnified. Early Monday morning, Dennis Lin of the Athletic reported that the Padres are (once again) targeting Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, though Lin also pointed out that a need to bolster their starting rotation was "equally as acute" as their need for a left fielder. Duran, 29, is carrying a .718 OPS with four home runs and 13 stolen bases with solid strikeout and walk rates in 282 plate appearances this season. His 2026 club option would be voided, though Duran does have two arbitration years remaining. What do you think the asking price is for the budding superstar? Do the Padres have enough capital to make the move? Should they? Join the conversation in the comments! View full rumor

Dennis Lin and Ken Rosenthal are reporting that the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks are discussing playing Mexico City in 2026. The two teams were set to participate in the Mexico Series in 2020 but was ultimately cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The report comes on the heels of various international events being cancelled for 2025 due to economic reasons. While the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs opened their seasons in Tokyo, the 2022 CBA had also permitted games to be played in Mexico City, San Juan, and Paris. In past seasons, Mexico City has been the host to two regular season series, including one between the Padres and San Francisco Giants in 2023. Last season, the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies played in the same location. Did you attend the series in 2023? Will you attend the series in 2026? Let us know your thoughts or experience in the comments! View full rumor