The San Diego Padres are widely expected to be active and aggressive buyers ahead of this summer’s trade deadline as they look to reinforce their pitching staff.
Despite dealing with injuries and inconsistency in their rotation, San Diego has managed to stay competitive in the National League, prompting expectations that the front office will pursue significant upgrades. Several high-profile starting pitchers could be available, including potential All-Star-level arms.
Even with the possible returns of Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove later in the season, the Padres still view adding a frontline starter at the deadline as a priority to strengthen their playoff push.
According to Padres insider Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune, the team is expected to target several top-tier pitchers, including Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers, Sandy Alcántara of the Miami Marlins, and Freddy Peralta of the New York Mets.
Among the options, Skubal stands out as the premier target due to his ace-level production and Cy Young pedigree, even though he is recovering from surgery and could be viewed as a rental if he reaches free agency.
Alcántara offers experience and control but comes with injury and consistency concerns, while Peralta appears to be the most balanced and realistic option, given his strong performance, diverse pitch mix, and potentially lower trade cost.
