Bryan Jaeger

Previously, the San Diego Padres had one of the worst catching positions in MLB before the trade deadline, ranking 30th in WAR. This made upgrading the position a priority. Freddy Fermin, a fan favorite in Kansas City for his defensive skills and decent contact, wasn't known for his bat. Nevertheless, acquiring the 30-year-old catcher cost the Padres two controllable pitchers, Steven Kolek and Ryan Bergert. Fermin, though, is under team control until after the 2029 season. During his time with the Royals this season, Fermin slashed .255/.309/.339 with three home runs, 17 runs, and 12 knocked in, posting a 78 wRC+ and a 17.8 strikeout percentage over 208 plate appearances. Defensively, he shone, throwing out base stealers 23 percent of the time (six of 26 attempts) while backing up Salvador Perez. Now with the Padres, Fermin has excelled both at and behind the plate, finally stepping into the role of No. 1 catcher. In just 37 plate appearances before the August 16th game, he improved dramatically, slashing .364/.400/.485, nearly doubling his wRC+ to 154, and drastically reducing his strikeout percentage to 2.7 percent. His defensive stats have also jumped, with a 43 percent caught stealing rate—nearly double his previous mark—though the sample is smaller (three of seven attempts). Overall, this season, he ranks 25th among 64 eligible MLB catchers in caught stealing percentage, according to Baseball Savant, which is supported by his 92nd percentile pop time. In 10 games with the Padres, Fermin has already matched his 0.4 WAR total from 67 games in Kansas City. These statistics are a pleasant surprise for Padres fans, who aren't used to this level of production from the catcher position. By comparison, Elias Díaz (-0.2), the now-released Martín Maldonado (-0.8), and Luis Campusano (-0.6), who has bounced between Triple-A and the majors, haven't posted a positive WAR this season. While fans should enjoy his current offensive production, Fermin's 108 wRC+ in 2023 suggests it may not entirely fade. Finally, having consistent playing time could help prolong his success. Defensively, even modest improvements are an upgrade from San Diego's previous catching depth. Fermin has earned fan appreciation and appears poised to remain the starting catcher for the coming seasons if the offensive production holds up. Early results suggest the Padres are winning this trade. View full article

This trade deadline has had a common occurrence in 2025: National League teams in contention for a World Series run added elite closers to strengthen their bullpens. Yesterday, the Philadelphia Phillies acquired Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins, and the New York Mets acquired Ryan Helsley from the St. Louis Cardinals. The San Diego Padres followed suit today by making a monster trade, acquiring Mason Miller from the Athletics. The Padres already had one of the best bullpens in MLB and added the best closer that was available. The Padres' bullpen ranks first in ERA (2.97), saves (36), and batting average against (.216) Now the rich get richer, adding a 26-year-old fireballer. The righty has a 3.76 ERA, a 59:21 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 20 saves in 23 opportunities, but has only allowed hitters to bat .163 off of him. His stats are slightly down this season, but he's been pitching in a hitter-friendly minor league ballpark in Sacramento during home games. Sutter Health Park has the third most home runs (158) this season, compared to Petco Park, which has the seventh-least (95). Comparing these three National League bullpens FanGraphs is predicting that the Phillies will slot Duran (2.01 ERA) into the closer role following setup pitchers Matt Strahm (2.98 ERA) and Orion Kerkering (2.72 ERA). Stats-wise, this is the weakest of the three World Series-contending teams. The Phillies will place newly acquired Tyler Rogers (1.80 ERA) from the San Francisco Giants and Helsley (3.00 ERA) in front of longtime Mets' closer Edwin Díaz (1.48 ERA). Rogers is a nasty sidearmer who has an impressive 38:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Padres' setup is predicted to have Miller close, and Robert Suarez, who leads MLB with 30 saves and 47 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings, moves into a setup role. Jason Adam (1.89 ERA) has been thriving coming in during the seventh inning all season, with 56 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings. The rest of the bullpen is just as impressive, with Adrian Morejon (1.63 ERA) with 50 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings, Jeremiah Estrada (2.59 ERA) with 66 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings, and David Morgan (2.08 ERA) with 24 strikeouts in 26 innings. The bullpen will continue to be one of the best in MLB. Amongst all pitchers, Miller leads MLB with the fastest average for his four-seam fastball (101.1 mph), while Suarez ranks 15th (98.4 mph), and Estrada ranks 19th (97.9 mph). So the Padres made a statement that they're all-in by acquiring Miller, adding more firepower to an already elite bullpen. The National League is going to be a fun watch in the second half of the season, and the Padres should be vying for the front of the pack. View full article

Once the All-Star Break is over, the baseball world turns its attention to the upcoming trade deadline that expires July 31 at 6:00 pm EST. The trade deadline already started with a bang when Rafael Devers was traded to the San Francisco Giants. We likely won't see another blockbuster trade of that magnitude this season, but the Padres could add depth at the starting pitcher position. Here's a list of the top targets we could see in a Padre uniform. *All stats are before the July 19 games Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks ($13.5 million in 2025, free agent at season's end) Gallen is struggling this season with a 5.40 ERA, but he's still a solid option for starting-pitcher needy teams. The last three seasons, the right-hander had an ERA under 3.80, so he's shown he can succeed. Getting out of the NL West gauntlet could benefit him as well. Gallen is a free agent after this season and will be 30, making him a prime trade candidate. Mitch Keller, Pirates ($15.4 million in 2025, $16.9 million in 2026, $18.4 million in 2027, $20.4 million in 2028) Keller is as durable as a pitcher can be. He's having his best season since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He's 31 innings away from a fourth-consecutive season throwing at least 150 innings. He's posted a 3.48 ERA and a 92:32 strikeout-to-walk ratio this season. Pirates can hold onto Keller, but they have a deep pool of young pitching prospects so that the Pirates could leverage Keller for offensive prospects. Seth Lugo, Royals ($15 million in 2025, $15 million player option in 2026) Lugo will be 36 next season, meaning he's not in Kansas City's long-term plan. He finished second in the AL Cy Young Award voting last year and is having another standout season (2.94 ERA). Adrian Houser, White Sox ($1.3 million in 2025, free agent at season's end) Houser has come out of nowhere this season. Over 57 2/3 innings, the righty has an incredible 1.56 ERA and allows hitters to hit .228 off of him. He's not a power arm with only 39 strikeouts, but with only 18 walks, Houser shows he can keep the ball around the strike zone. The cheap rental should reap valuable prospects for the White Sox. Sandy Alcántara, Marlins ($17.3 million in 2025, $17.3 million in 2026, $21 million club option in 2027) Alcántara is far from his 2022 Cy Young Award-winning form. He missed all of the 2024 season recovering from a UCL injury in his right elbow. He's been abysmal this season, posting a 7.14 ERA and allowing hitters to hit .275 off of him. The only reason the Marlins don't trade him before the deadline is that they believe he will turn his season around in the second half and be more valuable to trade in the offseason. There's the risk of an injury blowing this plan up, though. Edward Cabrera, Marlins ($1.9 million in 2025, three years off arbitration eligibility remaining) Cabrera has yet to exceed 100 innings in a season during his five-year career. He is at 82 1/3 innings this season, posting a 3.61 ERA. The righty is only 27 years old, and the Marlins have three more years of team control. With the team-friendly years remaining, the front office will need to decide whether to trust Cabrera or leverage his strong season and team control to acquire multiple prospects. Andrew Heaney ($5.4 million in 2025, free agent at season's end) Heaney is more likely to get traded than Keller because he's 34 years old, and his contract expires at the end of the season. Heaney has had a down season, posting a 4.59 ERA, and has allowed 18 home runs over 102 innings. He's a left-handed arm that could bring his 12-season experience to a pitching staff. Jeffrey Springs ($10.5 million in 2025, $10.5 million in 2026, $15 million club option in 2027) Springs was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Athletics this past offseason and has adapted nicely. He's posted a 3.97 ERA and has an 89:39 strikeout: walk ratio over 113 1/3 innings. The injury bug has derailed Springs's career, as he has pitched over 100 innings in only two of his eight seasons (including this one). The veteran could reap a couple of quality prospects if the Athletics decide to part with the lefty. Michael Soroka ($9 million in 2025, free agent at season's end) Soroka is likely the pitcher the Washington Nationals decide to trade since he becomes a free agent after the season. Mitchell Parker, Mackenzie Gore, and Jake Irvin all have multiple team-friendly years available, meaning it'd take a nice package in return. Soroka has a 5.10 ERA, but in his six-year career, he's only thrown over 150 innings in one season. Despite the inflated ERA, batters are only hitting .228 off of him. Germán Márquez ($10 million in 2025, free agent at season's end) Márquez has been limited to 24 innings combined during the last two seasons. The righty missed a majority of 2023 due to a UCL injury needing TommyJohn surgery, and had a stress reaction in the same elbow after only four innings, missing the rest of the 2024 season. Márquez has thrown 95 1/3 innings this spring but has allowed opposing hitters to hit .307 off of him. Part of the struggles could be pitching in the Rockies organization. Aaron Civale ($4.6 million in 2025, free agent at season's end) Civale will be a name teams will keep an eye on. The 30-year-old won't be included in the White Sox's long-term plans, allowing the team to acquire valuable assets. Civale has a 4.78 ERA over 58 1/3 innings and is allowing hitters to bat .260 off him, but could be a depth arm for a starting-pitcher-needy team. Luis Severino ($20 million in 2025, $25 million in 2026, $22 million in 2027) Severino was a massive surprise signing for the Athletics with his $67 million, three-year contract signed in Free Agency this past offseason. He's struggled mightily this season, posting a 5.10 ERA over 118.1 innings. Control has been an issue as he's walked 52 batters this season, while striking out only 84. I'd be surprised if the Athletics don't attempt to offload this contract to another team. Merrill Kelly ($7 million in 2025, free agent at season's end) Kelly is having a better season, stats-wise, than his teammate Gallen and is a cheaper rental option for teams, but he is six years older. The righty has posted a 3.34 ERA, a 113:34 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and only allowing batters to hit .207 off of him. Kelly has spent his seven-year career in Arizona, but multiple teams are likely to make a phone call if he becomes available. Charlie Morton ($15 million in 2025, free agent at season's end) Morton was abysmal in March and April, starting at the beginning of the season, posting a 9.45 ERA over 26 2/3 innings. He has since lowered his ERA to 5.58, but he benefits teams by being durable. Each of the last four seasons, the righty has thrown more than 160 innings. Despite his struggles, Morton could add reliable depth to a team. Chris Paddack ($7.5 million in 2025, free agent at season's end) Paddack has dealt with injuries over his seven-year career, but has posted a 5.14 ERA over 105 innings this season. He has a 75:30 strikeout-to-walk ratio this season, which may catch some teams' eyes. The veteran could be a cheap rental to add depth to a team's starting rotation. Tyler Anderson ($13 million in 2025, free agent at season's end) Anderson is another inning-eater that contending teams could use for depth. Over the last four seasons, he's thrown more than 140 innings and is well on pace to add a fifth-straight season with 101 2/3 innings. He has a 4.34 ERA, but could be a quality left-handed acquisition. Freddy Peralta ($8.1 million in 2025, $8 million club option in 2026) This trade would be the Rafael Devers equivalent, although it's incredibly reasonable. With the emergence of Jacob Misiorowski, the Brewers have a surplus of quality starting pitchers. Peralta is off to a career season, posting a 2.85 ERA over 116 2/3 innings, with a 122:47 strikeout: walk ratio, and allowing hitters to hit only .201. José Quintana is an alternate option here, but he's only under contract for $2 million this season and is seven years older. Which means Peralta could reap a more valuable prospect package. View full article

Injuries to a pitching staff are common. Teams win or lose by picking the correct player to be the next man up. Our main pitching options are on the injured list: Joe Musgrove will miss the season recovering from Tommy John surgery, Yu Darvish got moved to the 60-day injured list, and Michael King is expected to be out until after the All-Star Break. Since these guys will not be of any help in the near future, let's examine the prospects who could receive a call-up if an injury occurs. MLB.com has six pitching prospects with a debut ETA projected for this season, but I will showcase the four of them. 4 prospects (and rank among Padres' farm system) whose names we could see on the big-league mound this season Braden Nett Over four seasons in Single A and Double A, Nett has a 4.82 ERA. However, this season in Double-A San Antonio, he has posted a 3.58 ERA over 55 1/3 innings. He also has a 28.2 strikeout percentage and a career-lowest 9.8 walk percentage, so the righty is starting to find control around the strike zone. His fastball can reach 99 mph but consistently sits 95-97 mph. His arsenal also consists of an 81-84 mph slider that racked up a 38 percent whiff rate last season, a 90-92 mph cutter, an upper 70s curveball, and a low 80s splitter. With this variety of pitches, Nett could fill a long reliever role or make a spot start here and there. Bradgley Rodriguez Rodriguez received a brief call-up on May 31, and in relief, he pitched 1 2/3 shutout innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He returned to Triple-A El Paso where he has struggled. In two appearances, the righty has accumulated a 10.80 ERA over 1 2/3 innings. Still, before this, in Double A, Rodriguez had 18 appearances and only gave up an earned run in three of those spots. The 21-year-old dealt with elbow issues in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, missing the entire seasons. He's purely a short reliever who has topped 101 mph but is more consistently in the 96-99 mph range. His 86-89 mph changeup had an impressive 58.2 percent whiff rate in 2024, and he throws a sharp-breaking slider in the upper 80s against right-handed batters. If he can settle down in Triple A, his three-pitch arsenal is lethal enough that he could join San Diego for a bullpen stint later on this season. Francis Pena Pena has been stellar in Single A and Double A levels in his four-year career. The righty had a 0.50 and 1.53 ERA amongst both levels in 2023 and 2024 before struggling in Triple A, posting a 5.17 ERA over 15 2/3 innings. This season, in 27 1/3 Triple A innings, Pena has accumulated a 4.61 with an ugly 27:18 strikeout:walk ratio. He possesses two fastballs that range in the 95-98 mph area. He throws his cutter 35.2 percent of the time and has a 36.2 percent amongst all levels in 2024. The righty's sinker has more than 12 inches of arm-side run. The amount of success Pena has had may result in a later 2025 call-up. Omar Cruz Like Rodriguez, Cruz has received a cup of coffee in the majors. In two outings, over 3 2/3 innings, the righty accumulated a 4.91 ERA. Cruz has pitched seven seasons in the minor leagues but has posted a 4.89 ERA in Triple-A this season. His most successful pitch is his 79-82 mph changeup, which had a 49 percent whiff percentage in Double-A and Triple-A in 2024. The lefty complements his changeup by throwing a fastball out of the same arm slot at 91-94 mph, which is why he's seeing so much success fooling hitters with his off-speed pitch. Cruz needs to work on his control, as his walk percentage has steadily grown each season, up to 6.17 percent in 35 Triple A innings and 7.36 percent in his MLB outings this season. He's 26 years old and should get another shot at the big leagues later this season. View full article

As of Friday, the Padres have the third-worst wRC+ for their catching position (64). That looks awful, but it's even worse when you factor in the league average 94. Elias Díaz, Martín Maldonado, and Luis Campusano have been massive disappointments at the plate. Díaz is slashing .216/.283/.309 with three home runs, 16 runs, and nine knocked in with 153 plate appearances, and Maldonado has 99 plate appearances, hitting .187/.229/.308 with three home runs, five runs, and seven knocked in. Campusano was recalled on May 24 but has been non-existent. In 20 plate appearances, he's accumulated zero stats. Also, Maldonado and Campusano are striking out over 30 percent of the time. The Padres are in the last Wild Card spot and must keep ground with the top NL teams. The catcher position is not easy to address mid-season because the relationship between the battery mates is vital to success on the mound. Pitchers like to have "their" guy behind the plate, but the Padres can't risk not improving the catcher position. There likely won't be any big-name players on the market, but improvements are available. What catchers could the Padres acquire at the trade deadline? Sean Murphy The Atlanta Braves' backstop is having a mediocre season, but has been a contributor in getting runs across the plate. He's slashing .222/.325/.459 with nine home runs, 14 runs, and 21 knocked in. The 30-year-old is striking out at a career-high 30 percent, but has a 118 wRC+. He signed a six-year deal before the 2023 season, but the emergence of rookie Drake Baldwin has eaten into Murphy's playing time. The two are alternating starts, so trading Murphy could give the Braves some capital relief from the three years of $15 million per year remaining on his contract. Plus, it would allow Baldwin to be an everyday catcher. Jose Trevino Jose Trevino (Cincinnati Reds) signed a two-year deal this past offseason after three seasons with the New York Yankees. The 32-year-old is hitting .295/.328/.496 with four home runs, 18 runs, and 13 batted in. The appetizing part of his stats is the 122 wRC+. That's 50 points higher than the current Padres options. The Reds have Tyler Stephenson behind the plate, so they may be willing to part with Trevino for the right price. Trevino is also decent behind the plate. He has a 19 percent caught stealing rate and has thrown out eight of 34 steal attempts this season. Joey Bart Joey Bart has not lived up to his second-overall 2018 draft status. He's not the sexiest name to be acquired, but he is a decent on-base candidate. In 170 plate appearances, he's walked at 12 percent and struck out only 23 percent. ' The 28-year-old hasn't lit up the stat line, hitting .240/.347/.308 with only one home run. However, playing for the Pirates doesn't help, as they've scored the second-fewest runs (227) on the season and knocked in the fewest runs (217). Adley Rutschman This is a big longshot, but Adley Rutschman is struggling this season, and the team's down season could open the door for the catcher. He has two more arbitration years left, so the Orioles could trade him to avoid the high-dollar arbitration numbers that may come. The Orioles have another rookie backstop, making Rutschman's departure less painful. Maverick Handley has struggled in his MLB debut, but the team could give him more at-bats to see if he's ready for the big leagues. The good news is that the only move worse than the Padres' current situation is not making a move. This allows the front office a breather, knowing they don't need the mentality that they "must get this right". However, if we want to overtake the Los Angeles Dodgers, we must solidify our lineup with hitters who consistently contribute to putting runs on the scoreboard. View full article