No team in baseball has gotten less from the left field position this season than the Padres, whose left fielders have combined for an unimpressive –0.7 bWAR over the team’s first 50 games. While the trade deadline is over two months away, it isn’t surprising that this glaring weakness is already on the radar, as Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that “the Padres have begun exploring the trade market for a left fielder.”
The list of internal options got even thinner on Saturday when San Diego placed Jason Heyward on the 10-day injured list due to a left oblique strain. The severity of Heyward’s strain isn’t yet known, but even a minor oblique issue usually means at least a few weeks of recovery time, which deals another blow to what has already been a rough season for the veteran outfielder. Heyward is hitting only .176/.223/.271 over 95 plate appearances, and he already missed 10 days of action in April due to an earlier IL stint for left knee inflammation.
Luis Campusano was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move for Heyward, technically giving the Padres three catchers on the roster between Campusano, Elias Diaz, and Martin Maldonado. However, manager Mike Shildt indicated that Campusano will act as the Padres’ DH against left-handed pitching, and could also get some time as a first baseman. Either deployment could free up Gavin Sheets to spend more time in left field, and the combination of Sheets, Brandon Lockridge, and utilityman Tyler Wade are expected to handle left field duties until Heyward is healthy or perhaps until a new addition joins the team.
After Jurickson Profar departed in free agency, San Diego signed Heyward and Connor Joe to one-year, $1MM free agent contracts with the idea that the two veterans could form an inexpensive left field platoon. Those plans went awry due to Heyward’s struggles and the Padres’ preference to give prospect Lockridge more of an extended look at the MLB level, so Joe (who appeared in only seven big league games for the Friars) was dealt to the Reds earlier this month. Oscar Gonzalez was also released earlier this week so he could sign with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of NPB, as the Padres parted ways with another under-performing outfielder.
Lockridge is hitting just .197/.258/.262 over 68 PA, and rookie Tirso Ornelas also hasn’t done much in limited playing time. Sheets is enjoying a very nice year at the plate but he is a defensive liability as a regular outfielder, plus regular usage in left field would also create another lineup hole since Sheets would spend less time in the first base/DH mix.
Given that the Friars acquired Luis Arraez from the Marlins in early May 2024, it wouldn’t necessarily be a shock if president of baseball operations A.J. Preller moved sooner rather than later on a significant addition. That said, the Arraez trade was something of a perfect storm of circumstances, as most out-of-contention teams wait until much closer to the deadline to start unloading their top trade chips. Landing the left-field equivalent of an established regular like Arraez is also not simple, as the Padres might for now just be looking for more part-time or platoon types.
Since it is only late May, struggling teams like the Orioles or Pirates will likely see how June plays out before moving fully into sell mode. If Baltimore can’t turn around its shocking disappointing season, such outfielders and impending free agents as Cedric Mullins, Ryan O’Hearn, or Ramon Laureano could all be of interest to outfield-needy teams like the Padres. Tommy Pham is having a rough year for the Pirates and might be available earlier, but despite Pham’s struggles, the ex-Padre might get some consideration from his former team.
Looking at teams who are already in clear sell mode, White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi is probably too expensive to merit serious trade consideration unless Chicago eats the majority of Benintendi’s remaining salary. Mike Tauchman, Michael A. Taylor or Austin Slater also figure to all be available as deadline rentals. Another early trade with the Marlins might be possible since Jesus Sanchez is readily available, yet Sanchez hasn’t hit much in 2025. The Rockies figure to be open to moving anyone besides their most prized younger players, though Colorado’s roster doesn’t offer much in the way of a clear upgrade for San Diego.