Padres' Biggest Trade Deadline Need Revealed

Not much has gone right for the San Diego Padres since the calendar flipped to June.

San Diego has gone just 12-19 since June 1 and trails the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers by 14 games in the NL West. The Padres are also just 2-8 over their last 10 games and enter Monday four games behind the final National League Wild Card spot.

While the offense has scored a league-worst 348 runs in 2026, the starting rotation has struggled mightily as of late. Padres starters own a 6.58 ERA over the club's last 10 games, and the rotation has been hit hard by injuries.

Randy Vásquez landed on the 15-day injured list with a right ankle contusion on Friday, joining Lucas Giolito (right elbow inflammation), Matt Waldron (right bicep discomfort), and Nick Pivetta (right elbow inflammation) on the injured list.

Meanwhile, Joe Musgrove (Tommy John surgery) and Yu Darvish (right elbow UCL repair surgery) have not pitched all season.

Those injuries have left San Diego relying on a rotation consisting of Michael King, Griffin Canning, JP Sears, and Walker Buehler. The group has shown cracks recently, increasing the need for reinforcements before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Padres Urged to Add Starting Pitching

In a July 5 article, MLB.com's AJ Cassavell identified starting pitching as San Diego's biggest need entering the trade deadline.

"The Padres are hoping for the best with Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta, who are both rehabbing major elbow injuries," Cassavell wrote. "But elbow injuries are tricky, and neither is expected back until after the Trade Deadline. So the Padres need to plan for any contingency. Not to mention that, even if both are healthy, they could still use some rotation help."

President of baseball operations A.J. Preller has never been shy about making aggressive trade deadline moves. Last season, San Diego made a flurry of big trades, including the acquisition of star closer Mason Miller.