Padres trade rumors: Andrew Cashner trade could come soon

Although a trade involving Andrew Cashner may not come before his start Thursday night (per Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com), talks involving the Padres right-hander do appear to be heating up.

MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports that the Orioles and Marlins are among the teams looking to acquire Cashner, who is a free agent after the season. According to a major-league source, the Rangers are also in discussions with San Diego about Cashner but do not appear to be a likely destination if a move comes within the next 24 hours. It is unclear if other teams are involved at this point, though the Royals have had some interest this summer.

Word of a potentially imminent deal broke Wednesday, when Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported that there was a chance Padres general manager A.J. Preller could deal Cashner before his start against the Cardinals on Thursday night. Rosenthal’s report all but eliminates that possibility, though Cashner is widely expected to don a different uniform before the August 1 trade deadline.

Rival executives believe Baltimore and Miami would be good fits for Cashner as pitching-needy contenders with weak farm systems. Cashner’s rough year (4-7 record and 5.05 ERA) and pending free agency have greatly decreased his trade value, allowing clubs like the O’s and Marlins to be involved despite each club’s relative lack of trade chips.

Texas has a strong farm system headlined by Joey Gallo and Lewis Brinson, and is expected to be involved in talks for higher-end starters like Rich Hill, Jake Odorizzi and Matt Moore before the end of the month. Preller’s connection to Texas’ front office makes a potential Cashner fit plausible, especially with how aggressive the Rangers are being in their search for rotation reinforcements.