14 promising players are sent out and which players they received is important. Look at SD in 2-3 months

Aug 05, 2025

14 promising players are sent out and which players they received is important. Look at SD in 2-3 months
San Diego Padres AJ Preller General Manager (right) and Mike Shildt. AP Yonhap News



14 promising players are sent out and which players they received is important. Look at SD in 2-3 months
Closer Mason Miller, who recently wore a San Diego Padres uniform, took the mound in the eighth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals on the 2nd (Korea time) and is spraying the ball vigorously. AP Yonhap News
The San Diego Padres are threatening the Los Angeles Dodgers with a scary momentum in the second half of the year.

San Diego showed a strong performance of 10-6 in the second half, winning six consecutive games from the St. Louis Cardinals on the 27th of last month (Korea time) to the St. Louis game on the 2nd.

As of the 4th, it is only three games away from the NL West's leading Dodgers (65 wins and 47 losses) with 62 wins and 50 losses. It is a reduction of 2.5 games from 5.5 games in the first half. In the wild-card standings, it is third behind the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets, and it is four games ahead of the fourth-place Cincinnati Reds. The FanGraphs suggest San Diego's 89.9% chance of making the playoffs. This means that he will play fall baseball again this year following last year.




But it's not San Diego that will settle for it. San Diego went all-in on recruiting players ahead of the trade deadline last week. I could even set up a new team.

He gave up four minor league prospects to bring in Athletics closer Mason Miller and starting JP Sears.

In addition, he acquired outfielder Ramon Laureano and first baseman and designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn through a trade with the Baltimore Orioles. It consumed as many as six minor league prospects.




Milwaukee Brewers starter Nestor Cortes and catcher Freddie Purmin from the Kansas City Royals were also brought in. It is said that five trades were made in exchange for 14 prospects.

14 promising players are sent out and which players they received is important. Look at SD in 2-3 months
Ryan O'Hearn, who moved to San Diego from the Baltimore Orioles. ImagesYonhap News
All this work was led by AJ Preller, who is called 'Mad Man'. In all processes, including analysis, evaluation, and promotion, Freler took full control of the trade. What is important is that seven of the eight main players brought in by Preller this time, except for Oh Heon, are young players who can control not only next year but also afterwards. In Miller's case, he can only become an FA after the 2029 season.

In a recent interview with ESPN, Prelor said, `I've been trading MVP-class players, Cy Young-class pitchers and All-Stars. Now I'm sitting there and I've won a lot of games," he said with pride.




Prospects that Frelor sacrificed through trade since taking over as San Diego general manager in August 2014 include Max Fried (Yankees), Luis Castillo (Seattle), Emmanuel Clase (Cavland), Andres Munoz (Seattle), David Bedna (Yankees), CJ Abrams, McKinsey Gore and James Wood (Washington). 18-year-old shortstop Leo Devriès, who was recently sent to the Athletics, is also considered a promising player who will someday become a star player.

However, the players recruited while sending them are not easy. Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel, Blake Snell, Darvish Yu, Joe Musgrove, Josh Hader, Juan Soto, Dilyn Shees, Luis Arraez and Tanner Scott.

"I always do my best for a good trade, obviously," Prelor said. But you have to know that you have to give up a good player in order to get a good player. In the end, if we set up a good team for the present and the future, wouldn't that be a positive result?"

14 promising players are sent out and which players they received is important. Look at SD in 2-3 months
Washington outfielder James Wood, sent by San Diego, has become a superstar this season. AFP Yonhap News
The reason why Prelor is actively supplying players through trade and FA contracts almost every year is to win the World Series.

San Diego has reached the playoffs three times (2020, 2022, 2024) under Preller. However, he has never made it to the World Series. Founded in 1969, San Diego finished second in the World Series in 1984 and 1998. Last year, he kneeled down to the Dodgers in the Division Series with two wins and three losses. It did not exceed the Dodgers, who won the 2022 Division Series, two years later.

To go to the World Series, winning the district is essential. We need to go straight to the division series without going through the wild card series and reduce power consumption. To do so, we need to catch the Dodgers and take the hegemony of the West.

"I think we've become a much better team through our trade and contracts," Freler said. I'm looking forward to seeing what we're going to do here in the next two to three months," he said, expressing confidence.





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.