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  • San Diego Padres Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest San Diego Padres free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    Brock Beauchamp
    Michael King is returning to the injured list after making only a single start with the Padres, and just hours after Padres Mission wrote a note about his importance to the stretch run.
    San Diego placed the right-handed King on the 15-day injured list with left knee inflammation, retroactive to August 11. The move came five days after he was activated and one start into his return. San Diego recalled right-hander Randy Vásquez from Triple-A El Paso in the corresponding transaction. King had been lined up to start the series opener in Los Angeles on Friday. 
    King previously spent nearly three months sidelined with a right shoulder issue identified as a long thoracic nerve problem. He was placed on the injured list on May 25, transferred to the 60-day IL on July 7, and then activated on August 9 to face Boston. In that start, he worked two innings on 57 pitches, allowing four hits and two runs with one strikeout. 
    Across 11 starts this season, King has logged 57 1/3 innings with 65 strikeouts, a 2.81 ERA, and a 3.30 FIP. His strikeout rate is 27.5 percent, walk rate 8.1 percent, and K-BB% 19.5 percent. FanGraphs has him with 1.4 WAR on the season.
    Ryan Hernandez
    In his first game back from injury, Michael King pitched two innings and recorded a strikeout, allowed two walks, and allowed two earned runs on four hits against the Red Sox. King only threw 57 pitches before being pulled in the third inning.
    King, now 30 years old, made only a single Triple-A rehab start before returning to the Padres’ rotation. It is expected that he will need several more turns in the major league rotation to work himself back to a full starter’s workload.
    Addressing his return, King said: “The release point was off on some pitches, but I had to make those adjustments.” He added that “when I’m really rolling I can make those one-pitch adjustments. It took me a couple pitches to adjust, but I’ll definitely be faster with those adjustments in my next outings.”
    Despite the short outing and poor performance, the Padres found a way to win. They walked off in the bottom of the 10th to defeat Boston 5-4 thanks to Ramon Laureano’s walk-off single. King is optimistic that his performance will improve over his next few starts as he continues to get back into form and help the Padres in their playoff push.
    King’s next projected start will be against the Dodgers on the road, where he has the potential to help the Padres keep their NL West division lead over the Dodgers. King has 11 starts this season with a 2.81 ERA, 57 ⅔ innings picked, 65 strikeouts, and a 1.09 WHIP. 
    King is set to be a free agent this offseason.
    Brock Beauchamp
    San Diego fortified its infield depth by acquiring 26-year-old left-handed bat Will Wagner from Toronto for 24-year-old switch-hitting catcher Brandon Valenzuela.
    Wagner spent most of 2025 shuttling between Buffalo and the big-league club. In 18 International League games, he produced a .268/.342/.451 slash, good for a .792 OPS across 79 plate appearances. That accounts for a .322 wOBA and 106 wRC+, suggesting league-average production with above-average on-base skills. With the Blue Jays, Wagner appeared in 40 major-league games, posting a .237/.336/.298 line over 132 trips to the plate. He has logged time at second, third, and first this season, giving the Padres a versatile left-side option who pairs double-digit walk rates with modest power.
    Valenzuela heads to Toronto after spending the year as San Antonio’s primary catcher. Through 81 Texas League games, the Sonora native owns a .232/.313/.390 line in 352 plate appearances, including 14 doubles and 11 homers. His walk rate sits just over 10 percent, and he has handled southpaws appropriately while maintaining steady switch-hit splits. Valenzuela’s defensive résumé features regular work behind the plate and occasional first-base starts; he has allowed five steals against two caught-stealing this season, numbers primarily in line with his prior career rates. 
    Brock Beauchamp
    Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote today (in the wake of the blockbuster Mason Miller trade) that the Padres plan to keep Robert Suarez at the trade deadline. Internal discussions currently favor holding the right-hander, even as president of baseball operations AJ Preller continues fielding calls on other roster pieces. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale likewise notes that there are “no current plans” to trade Suarez, though conversations could persist up to the deadline. 
    Suarez is earning $10 million this season and holds player options valued at $8 million apiece for 2026 and 2027. If he remains healthy in 2025, it is likely Suarez declines the option and becomes a free agent after the season.
    On the field, Suarez has converted 30 of 33 save chances while working 44 2⁄3 innings across 47 appearances. His 26.6 percent strikeout rate and 6.9 percent walk rate closely track his 2024 marks, and a 2.34 FIP (per MLB.com’s All-Star announcement) sits more than a full run below his 3.43 ERA, indicating run prevention largely supported by underlying indicators. 
    Excluding the addition of Miller, the Padres’ choice to retain Suarez would keep a bullpen trio of Suarez, Miller, and setup man Jason Adam intact for the stretch run while deferring any decision on the closer’s future until he decides on his option after the season.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Dennis Lin and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic have reported that the Padres are kicking the tires on Athletics' closer Mason Miller. They're also still pursuing Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, but we've covered that elsewhere.
    The 26-year-old right-handed Miller owns the game’s top average four-seam velocity at 101.2 mph and has converted 20 saves in 38 outings. Through July 30, he has worked 38 1/3 innings with a 3.76 ERA, a 2.86 FIP, and a 39.1 percent strikeout rate, while holding opponents to a .246 batting average on balls in play. Miller still earns the league minimum $765,000 and is under club control through 2029, an attractive fit for a Padres payroll that has little wiggle room.
    Oakland’s price is correspondingly high. Sources say the president of baseball operations, A.J. Preller, is willing to discuss either of his premier prospects—shortstop Leo De Vries or catcher Ethan Salas—to obtain Miller or controllable outfielders Jarren Duran and Steven Kwan. De Vries, 19, is thriving at High-A and is the Padres' top prospect, while Salas remains sidelined by a lower-back stress reaction but is still a teenager.
    Despite having one of the better bullpens in baseball, San Diego is weighing changes. Closer Robert Suarez carries a 3.50 ERA and a 3.28 FIP over 43 2/3 innings, but he can opt out of the two years and $20 million left on his deal after the season, making him a potential trade chip. Miller started six games as a rookie in 2023; the Padres have recently transitioned former relievers Michael King, Seth Lugo, and Stephen Kolek into starting roles, so that background could add further appeal if a deal is reached.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Katie Woo of The Athletic is reporting that the Padres are interested in acquiring the Cardinals' JoJo Romero.
    The Padres continue to inquire on the relief market despite already leading baseball with a 2.99 bullpen ERA and sending three relievers to the All-Star Game. General manager A.J. Preller has signaled interest in adding a second high-leverage left-hander to lessen the workload on Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada, both of whom rank among the league leaders in appearances.
    St. Louis southpaw JoJo Romero fits that description and remains under club control through the 2027 season. Across 34 innings in 2025, Romero owns a 2.12 ERA with a 2.88 FIP, 9.0 K/9, 4.0 BB/9, and just 0.3 HR/9. He has converted 52.9 percent of batted balls into grounders and stranded 76.4 percent of his baserunners. Statcast reports opponents have managed a .267 wOBA (.270 xwOBA) against him, with an average exit velocity of 89.1 mph and a 38.9 percent hard-hit rate.
    Because Romero is left-handed and can be optioned, the Padres could deploy him flexibly while maintaining roster depth. His combination of swing-and-miss capability (34 strikeouts) and home-run suppression falls in line with San Diego’s preference for power arms who limit damage late in games. With Emmanuel Clase now unavailable and Ryan Helsley’s market escalating, Romero represents a controllable alternative whose cost in prospect capital may align with Preller’s stated goal of “adding to a strength” without altering the club’s long-term pitching plans.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Ken Rosenthal and Chandler Rome of The Athletic are reporting the Astros are pursuing a trade for Padres starter Dylan Cease.  Sources briefed on Houston’s discussions say Dylan Cease tops the club’s trade deadline wish list, and the Padres right-hander fits the power-arm profile owner Jim Crane has targeted in past July moves.
    Cease, 29, has logged 118 1⁄3 innings over 22 starts with a 4.79 ERA and 153 strikeouts, good for 11.64 K/9. Under the hood, his 3.53 FIP, 3.64 xFIP, and 97.1 mph average fastball velocity sit near the league’s leaders, and a .320 wOBA against versus a .304 xwOBA points to run-prevention upside.
    Astros scouts watched Cease on July 23 in Miami, where he yielded two earned runs in five innings and punched out five; the outing kept his expected ERA at 3.53. Cease is earning $13.75 million in his walk year and will reach free agency this winter.
    Houston has a major-league-high 17 players on the injured list, among them starters Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia, and Lance McCullers Jr., plus sluggers Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, and Isaac Paredes. Healthy arms Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez need reinforcement, and Cease would form a high-strikeout trio.
    Acquiring the remaining salary would push Houston over the competitive-balance tax; Crane crossed that threshold for Justin Verlander in 2023, so cost alone may not deter him. Houston is also surveying the market for a bat, with Willi Castro, Jesús Sánchez, and Jake McCarthy mentioned as possibilities.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently wrote that the Padres are interested in trading for Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan, 27, who is earning $4.175 million in 2025 and will remain arbitration-eligible through 2027. In 99 games, he is hitting .285/.350/.411 with a .333 wOBA and 115 wRC+. FanGraphs has him at 2.8 fWAR, a top-20 mark among outfielders this season. Statcast lists Kwan at +3 Outs Above Average while he has logged 772 ⅓ innings, almost all in left field. 
    The Padres have not found a consistent solution in left field since Jurickson Profar departed; FanGraphs’ preseason ZiPS write-up flagged the position as “likely to be a problem again” in 2025, and that has undoubtedly been the case. Adding Kwan would give San Diego an outfielder under control for two additional seasons, avoiding the rental profile common at the deadline. Because his 2025 salary is modest, his projected arbitration raises are unlikely to strain the club’s precarious financial position. With Kwan under control through 2027, any deal would address a present-day lineup need while providing payroll stability.
    The Guardians are reportedly seeking a robust package; Kwan’s 2.8 fWAR and two additional seasons of control elevate the asking price beyond typical corner-outfield rentals.
    Matthew Lenz
    Whether or not they add at the deadline, the San Diego Padres will receive a boost to their starting rotation when Michael King returns to the rotation, which may happen sooner rather than later. 
    In front of a pool of reporters on Friday, Friars manager Mike Shildt shared that starting pitcher King "felt good" after a bullpen on Wednesday and is scheduled for a simulated start on Monday.
    In 10 starts, covering 55 2/3 innings, King posted an excellent 2.59 ERA. He carried a solid strikeout rate with a K% of 28.4% and a good walk rate at 7.6%, leading to a strong K-BB% of 20.8%. He even threw his first career complete game shutout in April. Unfortunately, his season was interrupted in May when he was placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, which was later diagnosed as a nerve impingement. He was subsequently transferred to the 60-day injured list in early July. 
    How much can we count on Michael King to bolster the Padres rotation? Join the conversation in the comments!

    Matthew Lenz
    It has been speculated that the San Diego Padres could be both buyers and sellers over the next week. Most notably, the team is reportedly open to moving rotation ace Dylan Cease, though they're also looking to add to the rotation, whether they deal Cease or not.
    Moreover, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is reporting that teams are interested in San Diego Padres' pitchers Stephen Kolek, Ryan Bergert, Henry Baez, and Braden Nett.
    Kolek, who transitioned into a starting role after being primarily a reliever in 2024, has a 4.28 ERA across 13 starts with the Friars. Kolek's strikeout rate (K%) sits at 17.3%, and his walk rate (BB%) is 7.4%, resulting in a lowly K-BB% of 9.9%. While he has shown flashes of potential, including one complete game shutout, he's allowed at least three runs in five of his last six starts. He is controllable through 2029, which is a significant advantage for any team acquiring the right-handed pitcher.
    Bergert has had an intriguing season for the San Diego Padres, making six starts and 10 total appearances. He holds a respectable 2.84 ERA, though his FIP sits significantly higher at 4.26, suggesting that he might have benefited from some good fortune on balls in play. Bergert has recorded a solid K% of 23.1% but a below-average BB% of 10.8%. He was optioned to Triple-A El Paso in July, but like Kolek, he is controllable for many years.
    Baez and Nett are both succeeding in the Double-A San Antonio starting rotation. Baez is already on the 40-man roster, while Nett would need to be protected this winter.
    Should the Padres deal any of these arms? Join the conversation in the comments!

    Matthew Lenz
    After getting shot down by the Boston Red Sox (again) in their pursuit of Jarren Duran, the San Diego Padres are shifting their sights to other outfielder upgrades.
    Jon Heyman of the New York Post is reporting that the San Diego Padres are interested in outfielders Luis Robert Jr. and Ramon Laureano.
    The oft-injured Robert Jr. has stayed relatively healthy, playing in 84 games for the Chicago White Sox. He currently holds an OPS of .636 with 10 home runs, 37 runs scored, and 41 runs batted in. Additionally, he leads the league with 26 stolen bases. He is controllable through 2027 via club options over the next two seasons.
    Laureano has experienced a resurgence of sorts after years of dealing with injuries. With the Baltimore Orioles, he has an impressive .861 OPS with 14 home runs and four stolen bases. Defensively, he has been a valuable asset in the corner outfield, accumulating 3 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) with a plus arm. He will be a free agent at season's end.
    Would you rather the Padres acquire Robert Jr or Laureano? Join the conversation in the comments!

    Matthew Lenz
    One way or another, and whether it be at this trade deadline or sometime down the road, the San Diego Padres seem adamant to pry Jarren Duran away from the Boston Red Sox.
    Earlier today, Sean McAdam of MassLive provided yet another update between the two clubs. The Padres offered the Red Sox a package including SP Dylan Cease, C Ethan Salas, and another prospect (not top prospect Leo de Vries) in exchange for Duran, which was “quickly rejected.” McAdams later adds that while it's likely Duran is eventually traded, it's "unlikely" to happen this summer.
    Are you surprised the Red Sox did not take that offer? Are you open to the idea of the Padres offering more for Duran?Join the conversation in the comments!
    Matthew Lenz
    The San Diego Padres, who have been rumored to be listening to offers onDylan Cease, may be looking to "replace" the rotation ace with another high-caliber pitcher from the Miami Marlins.
    Dennis Lin of The Athletic is reporting that the Padres have expressed interest in Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara.
    Alcantara's 2025 season has been a challenging one as he continues his return from Tommy John surgery. Through 20 starts and 104 innings pitched, Alcantara has a high 6.66 ERA, which is two runs higher than his FIP, suggesting he's been particularly unlucky with balls in play or hasn't received strong defensive support. His strikeout rate (K%) is down to 16.7%, and his walk rate (BB%) is up to 8.9%, leading to an abysmal K-BB% of 7.8%. While there have been a few promising starts, he has largely struggled to find the consistency that made him a Cy Young winner. He is controllable through next season with a $17.3 million salary.
    Out of all the pitchers that the Padres have been tied to, where does Sandy Alcantara fall on your list? Join the conversation in the comments!

    Samuel Cozart
    As the trade deadline approaches, a new name has entered the Padres’ radar. Dominican MLB insider Hector Gomez of Z101 Digital reported Tuesday that trade discussions between the Padres and Braves have “intensified”, with San Diego expressing heavy interest in DH Marcell Ozuna. 
    Gomez suggested that the Padres would send a return of RHP Francis Pena and RHP Ryan Bergert, the organization’s No. 18 and No. 21 prospects, to Atlanta.
    Ozuna would likely fill the DH spot in the Padres’ lineup, despite spending most of his career in left field. He has taken a step back at the plate this season, slashing .235/.361/.390 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI. However, he finished fourth in NL MVP voting in 2024, compiling an impressive line of .302/.378/.546, mashing 39 home runs and 104 RBI. 
    The 34-year-old is in the final year of a four-year $65 million contract, meaning he’d likely be a rental piece to help the Padres in their push for the postseason. 
    It would be a steep price for an aging rental player, so San Diego would need Ozuna to play similarly to his 2024 version to make it pay off. 
     
    Matthew Lenz
    To this point, rumors have been swirling about the San Diego Padres interest in bolstering up their rotation, bullpen, and adding a catcher at the deadline. Now, we can add another position to the rumor mill.
    Jon Heyman of the New York Post is reporting that the "...Padres are among many teams interested in [Steve] Kwan."
    Steven Kwan, controllable through 2027 via arbitration, has been a productive leadoff hitter and a Gold Glove-caliber defender for the Guardians in 2025. Through 94 games, he boasts an OPS of .741 with six home runs, 44 runs scored, and 32 runs batted in. On the basepaths, Kwan has been effective, stealing 11 bases. His defense remains a highlight, as he currently has 13 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), once again solidifying his status as one of the premier defensive outfielders in baseball. Given his production, controllability, and "many" suitors, he will be an expensive asset to acquire at the deadline. 
    Do you think the San Diego Padres should acquire Stephan Kwan? Join the conversation in the comments!

    Matthew Lenz
    Shortly after reporting that the Padres could move Dylan Cease, Buster Olney of ESPN is also reporting who a potential "replacement" may be in the rotation.
    According to Olney, the San Diego Padres have discussed a potential trade with the Baltimore Orioles involving starting pitcher Charlie Morton.
    Through 21 appearances (15 starts) covering 88.2 innings, Morton holds a 5.58 ERA. Though a FIP of 4.58 indicates he may be due for at least some positive regression. Morton's K% is 22.5% and his BB% is 10.0%, resulting in a low K-BB% of 12.5%. As his appearances suggest, he was moved to the bullpen for a period of time earlier in the season. It's hard to see how the Padres would really see him as a replacement of sorts to Cease. While adding him to the back end of the rotation wouldn't be a bad idea, the difference in the level of production between the two is significant.
    Should the San Diego Padres acquire Charlie Morton? Join the conversation in the comments!

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