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Barring an unbelievable turnaround over the subsequent week, the San Diego Padres are extra probably than not going to be sellers at this yr’s MLB commerce deadline on Aug. 1.
The group has extremely underachieved over the primary half of the season regardless of coming off a run to the NLCS in 2022 and returning one of the proficient rosters in your complete league.
Nonetheless, it seems that the Padres are unwilling to surrender famous person outfielder Juan Soto, based on USA At this time‘s Bob Nightengale.
“There was no trace that he is out there,” Nightengale reported.
As an alternative, they’re much extra “more likely to store” nearer Josh Hader and starter Blake Snell.
At 48-52, San Diego sits in fourth place within the NL West, 10.5 video games again of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers. It is usually fairly far out of the Wild Card race, six video games out of one in all three slots.
And it would not appear like a turnaround could be very probably with the Padres going 5-5 over their final 10 video games. They did simply have a good collection win over the middling Detroit Tigers through the weekend.
It might make loads of sense for the franchise to commerce Soto and get some return on their giant funding from final season, however it’s comprehensible why they’re hesitant on buying and selling the 24-year-old outfielder.
Soto was the massive coup of final yr’s commerce deadline, being acquired by San Diego—together with Josh Bell—from Washington in trade for a ridiculous haul of C. J. Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, Robert Hassell, James Wooden, Jarlín Susana, and Luke Voit.
Having Soto underneath workforce management by way of 2024 with a roster that is nonetheless able to competition regardless of a nasty season is greater than sufficient motivation to maintain him round.
As for Hader and Snell, each of have been key components of the Padres’ pitching workers this season however are every set to hit free company within the winter.
Hader, a three-time NL Reliever of the 12 months, is in the midst of one other sensational marketing campaign with 24 saves, a 0.97 ERA and .946 WHIP in 39 video games.
Snell has additionally had a bounce again season after a tough couple of years. The 2018 AL Cy Younger Award winner has a 6-8 file with 2.67 ERA and 1.278 WHIP in 20 begins.
Each gamers will probably be extremely wanted on the commerce deadline.
