Having done enough to remain in playoff contention, trading for a “shutdown right-handed reliever” is a top priority for the San Diego Padres. The Padres are known to have strong interest in White Sox lefty Garrett Crochet, but according to Ken Rosenthal adding a right-handed reliever is a “top priority.”
Padres Targeting “Shut Down” Relievers Ahead of Deadline
With the trade deadline approaching, Padres general manager AJ Preller is already reportedly burning up phones. San Diego enters three games shy of .500 at 37-40 on Wednesday, sitting one game back in the Wild Card race. Having kept themselves afloat through the first part of the season, the Padres pitching staff could use some help.
San Diego ranks 17th in the league with a bullpen ERA of 3.94, while their batting average against is tied for 21st. Beyond closer Robert Suarez, the higher-leverage relievers in the Padres bullpen are mostly left-handed. Right-hander Jeremiah Estrada and southpaw Yuki Matsui have been Suarez’s primary options in setup situations. Estrada is having a breakout season, having carried a 1.23 ERA through 22 innings before getting crushed by the Mets on Sunday. But the 25-year-old logged just 39 ⅓ innings last season and has previously shown limited success in the major leagues.
Insiders Anticipate The Padres Being Very Active At The Trade Deadline
The Padres have shown strong interest in Crochet and could trade for right-hander Michael Kopech in a blockbuster deal. But San Diego has also emerged as a favorite to land Oakland’s flame-throwing right-hander Mason Miller.
Michael Kopech
With the White Sox expected to have their second consecutive deadline fire sale, their starter-turned-closer is drawing interest from several teams. Kopech’s bullpen tenure got off to a strong start, but he’s hit a rough patch of late. His rough patch has ballooned his ERA from 3.18 to 4.91. Still, the 28-year-old has a lot to offer the Padres bullpen. Kopech is averaging 98.8 mph on his heater, and his 32.3% strikeout rate is nearing that of his career.
Beyond his bat-missing ability, Kopech is both affordable and controllable. He’s earning $3 million in 2024 and would be arbitration-eligible for one more year before entering free agency in 2026. Given Chicago’s massive rebuild, insiders believe the White Sox are seeking controllable pitching in exchange for their top players.
Mason Miller
Mason Miller is the star-caliber player that Preller has been known to pursue with nearly unrivaled aggression. But Jon Heyman reports that rival execs are split on whether the A’s will trade the rookie closer. The 25-year-old right-hander is the hardest thrower in the majors, averaging 100.9 mph on his four-seamer. He has struck out a major league-leading 46.7% of batters faced in his first year as a closer. Miller is still signed to a rookie contract with six years of club control to go. But he could bring Oakland “a prospect package worth pursuing” if they decide to trade the flame-throwing rookie.
As the trade deadline nears, Preller and the Padres are expected to bring in more talent to try to make another playoff run.
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