MLB Trade Deadline Recap: San Diego Padres

Now that the non-waiver deadline has passed, we’re taking a look back at what each team was able to accomplish before 4 p.m. ET on July 31. Next up in our recap series, the San Diego Padres

San Diego Padres (51-64), 30 GB in NL Central, 13 GB in NL Wild Card

ACQUIRED: LHP Matt Strahm (from KC), LHP Travis Wood (from KC), INF Esteury Ruiz (from KC)

TRADED: RHP Trevor Cahill (to KC), RHP Brandon Maurer (to KC), LHP Ryan Buchter (to KC)

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The Padres made just one move in July, though it’s the move they didn’t make that has dominated the talk about their trade deadline performance. San Diego’s decision to hold onto reliever Brad Hand surprised many, considering how high the lefty’s value was as an effective, controllable late-inning arm.

While Hand and others (like Jhoulys Chacin and Yangervis Solarte) stayed put, three Padres were shipped to Kansas City in a creative deal. Righties Trevor Cahill and Brandon Maurer and lefty Ryan Buchter were packaged together for a trio of Matt Strahm, Travis Wood and Esteury Ruiz in late July.

San Diego’s decision to package the three pitchers led to a higher return, with Strahm being the obvious key to the package. The lefty will miss the rest of the season due to injury but has the potential to be a legitimate major-league rotation option for years moving forward.

Wood, who is under contract through next season, was of interest to the Padres over the winter before signing with Kansas City. He’ll eat innings for a young team. Ruiz, just 19, is a lottery ticket-type with great numbers in the low levels of the minors. He was recently ranked by MLB Pipeline as the 30th-best prospect in a deep San Diego system.

The Padres are at the point in their rebuild where they don’t have many valuable assets, though the club was willing to discuss anyone not named Wil Myers in talks this summer. Expect them to seriously consider trading Hand, Solarte and others before next April.

For a complete list of our trade deadline recaps, click here.