The San Diego Padres know how to do one thing at the Major League Baseball trade deadline--swing big.
Padres general manager A.J. Preller has built a reputation for brokering blockbusters during the past few seasons, and in 2024, he shook up the market again. Ahead of Tuesday's deadline, he acquired relievers Jason Adam and Tanner Scott for a boatload of prospects.
With Robert Suarez and Jeremiah Estrada already on the roster, the Padres' bullpen was by no means a weakness. But after the trades, it appears to be an overwhelming strength. A strength that just might make them title contenders.
That view was shared by a pair of MLB reporters for ESPN, Alden González and Kiley McDaniel. Both stated in an article on Wednesday morning that the Padres are now a "legitimate threat" to win the National League.
"Their roster might be the most well-balanced among the NL wild-card hopefuls," González said.
The Padres helped their case with a comeback win Tuesday against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, erasing a 5-0 deficit to win 6-5 on a Donovan Solano walk-off single. They're now a season-high seven games above .500 and hold a Wild Card spot by half a game.
After missing the postseason despite the National League's third-best run differential a year ago, the Padres are hoping to avoid missing out on the dance for a second straight year. Their deadline this season was much more impactful than in 2023 from a talent perspective.
On Wednesday, Scott and Adam will both join the roster, completing the roster the Padres hope to have for their playoff push.
"I can't think of a team with a four-headed bullpen monster like this in the past... If the offense does its job, that's a winning playoff formula -- as long as the Padres get in the tournament," McDaniel said.
It may well be true that the Padres are the scariest team currently in a Wild Card position in a potential playoff matchup. But McDaniel's point is also crucial: They still have to get there.
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