The San Diego Padres and president of baseball operations/general manager A.J. Preller are going nuclear at the trade deadline.
After acquiring Mason Miller from the Athletics in the biggest blockbuster of the day, the Padres have made another blockbuster trade.
San Diego is acquiring corner outfielder/first baseman Ryan O’Hearn and outfielder Ramón Laureano from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for infielder Brandon Butterworth, lefty Boston Bateman, righty Tanner Smith, right-hander Tyson Neighbors, utility man Victor Figueroa and infielder Cobb Hightower, per Robert Murray.
These are huge additions for the Padres.
They added a lockdown closer to an already Major League Baseball-best bullpen in Miller and traded for catcher Freddy Fermin, now they add O’Hearn who can play the corner outfield and first base and Laureano who is a great outfielder with a powerful bat.
Left field and catcher were the biggest needs for San Diego and they have addressed their needs.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
O’Hearn, 32, was an All-Star for the first time this season and was one of the top trade chips available.
He has 13 home runs and 43 RBI while slashing .283/.374/.463 in 94 games.
Laureano, 31, has quietly been having a better season than O’Hearn. In 82 games, he has 15 home runs and 46 RBI while slashing .290/.355/.529.
Laureano has a monster arm that will fill one of San Diego’s biggest roster holes. This move makes the Padres one of, if not the most feared team in the National League.
San Diego is reportedly close to trading pitcher Dylan Cease, and it may be because of all of the prospects that have been moved today.
Even if the Padres move Cease, this team is still a World Series contender.
More MLB: Yankees bolster bullpen depth, trade for reliever Jake Bird from Rockies