Padres general manager A.J. Preller was bold during the 2025 Trade Deadline, orchestrating five deals involving a whopping 22 players. Those moves are paying off—and some are even exceeding expectations.
Outfielder Ramon Laureano was acquired at the deadline from the Baltimore Orioles, and his production has skyrocketed in San Diego, where he’s batting .320 with eight home runs and 25 RBI over 34 games.
That’s why ESPN’s Jeff Passan says the Padres are likely to pick up his $6.5 million club option this offseason in a recent article.
$6.5 million slugger likely to stay with Padres
The Padres are currently paying just over $1.2 million of the one-year, $4 million contract that Laureano signed with the Orioles last offseason.
Laureano hit .290 with 15 home runs and 46 RBI over 82 games with Baltimore, before he was traded to the Padres with teammate Ryan O’Hearn, who’s seen a slight dip in production since arriving in San Diego.
MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell analyzed the move right after the trade happened in July:
“Well, these two players are precisely what the Padres have been looking for all season. It was a near certainty that San Diego would look to address at least one of DH and left field.
Instead, Preller addressed both in one fell swoop. Ryan O’Hearn (a free agent after this season) and Ramon Laureano (team option for 2026) are both having fantastic seasons at the plate.”
As Preller notes, the Padres were going to have to look for outfield depth this offseason, but now it seems like they have their guy. Expect them to pick up Laureano’s club option for 2026.