The San Diego Padres have officially come out and established themselves as buyers ahead of the trade deadline, as they swung a blockbuster trade with the San Francisco Giants for starting pitcher Robbie Ray. With just a couple of hours to go until the deadline strikes, though, it seems like the Padres may not be making moves just yet either.
A fringe playoff contender, San Diego has areas of need across the board, but it filled a huge hole by acquiring Ray. Now, the focus will turn towards adding some pop to the lineup, with St. Louis Cardinals duo Alec Burleson and Lars Nootbaar reportedly emerging as targets for A.J. Preller and the front office.
Padres Targeting Alec Burleson, Lars Nootbaar
San Diego’s starting rotation has been one of the worst groups in the majors this year, and it’s actually a shock that this team is somehow sporting a 58-54 record when considering the lack of production here. Michael King is the only guy having a relatively strong season, so Ray’s addition will help, as he has been solid for the Giants so far this year (10-8, 3.08 ERA, 107 K, 1.29 WHIP).
The other problem for the Padres is that their lineup hasn’t been all that great either. Stars like Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and Jackson Merrill have failed to meet expectations, which has led to Ty France, of all people, being their most productive hitter (.297 BA, 16 HR, 49 RBI, .889 OPS). Some of these guys have shown signs of life, but if San Diego is intent on making a postseason push, it needs to add another bat or two to the lineup.
In particular, a left-handed hitter is what the Padres are looking for, which is where Burleson (.284 BA, 15 HR, 71 RBI, .805 OPS) and Nootbaar (.234 BA, 3 HR, 16 RBI, .688 OPS) come into play. Burleson is obviously the bigger name of the bunch, but San Diego is rumored to be looking into a potential deal with the Cardinals for one or both of these guys.
“Padres are looking for a lefty bat. Burleson and Nootbaar from Cards are among many potential targets,” Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported in a post on X.
Padres Appear to Have One More Big Trade Up Their Sleeve
GettyTORONTO, ON – JULY 31: Alec Burleson #41 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts after walking in the first inning during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 31, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Now that San Diego has declared itself a buyer, it has made the competition for the biggest remaining trade targets all the more intriguing. The Padres have the firepower needed to make some big moves, and while they want to add some pop to their lineup, they likely won’t go overboard in order to make something happen.
Burleson, in particular, is drawing quite a bit of interest from teams across the league, which could make swinging a deal for him more difficult. And yet, Preller is known for being one of the most aggressive traders in all of baseball, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him make a few more moves before the deadline strikes.
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