San Diego Padres
· 2026-07-02
The San Diego Padres are 43-42 on the year, 10th in the National League, after losing 23-3 to the Chicago Cubs on July 1.
The Padres are in need of starting pitching depth with the trade deadline approaching.
They likely won't catch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com listed Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo as potential fits for the Padres.
Wacha and Lugo are former Padres, now teammates with the Kansas City Royals.
Wacha won 14 games with San Diego and posted a 3.22 ERA in 24 starts in 2023.
Lugo emerged as a frontline starter in 2023, going 8-7 with a 3.57 ERA in 26 starts.
Both pitchers are under club control through the 2027 season.
Tarik Skubal is unlikely to be a target for the Padres due to their depleted farm system.
The Padres have a few top prospects, but not enough to make a trade for Skubal.
And the Detroit Tigers will likely want more prospects in return.
So the Padres will have to look elsewhere for starting pitching depth.
The Padres are still in contention, despite their struggles, and should not be counted out of the playoff race.
A.J. Preller, the president of baseball operations, will have to make some tough decisions with the deadline closing in.
The Padres' rotation ERA is 4.51, which ranks 12th in the NL.
Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta are expected to return to full strength soon.
But adding a starter like Wacha or Lugo could make a big difference for the Padres.
Both Wacha and Lugo have experience as frontline starters and could be leaders in the clubhouse.
They each bring veteran experience and could help the Padres turn their season around.
The Padres are still very much in contention and should not be counted out of the playoff race.