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The clock is ticking on the San Diego Padres as they search for a left fielder.
It’s no secret that the Padres have been big game hunting at the position. They’ve been linked to the Boston Red Sox’s Jarren Duran for weeks, and as of Wednesday night, The Athletic confirmed they were still pursuing both Duran and Cleveland Guardians All-Star Steven Kwan.
Padres general manager A.J. Preller’s love of the blockbuster is admirable, but the Red Sox have less reason to deal Duran now that Ceddanne Rafaela is playing more second base, and Cleveland still has two more years to consider moving Kwan. So it might be time to pivot.
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On Thursday, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller predicted that the Padres would find a very respectable backup plan in left field by the 3 p.m. PT trade deadline.
Miller’s projected target for San Diego? Baltimore Orioles outfielder Ramon Laureano, who has been on fire in July and has a cheap ($6.5 million) club option for next season.
“There has been a lot of ‘willing to deal Dylan Cease’ and ‘hoping to acquire Jarren Duran’ scuttlebutt in San Diego in recent days, but that feels like overly wishful thinking, even for A.J. Preller,” Miller wrote.
“Trading for Laureano (who has a $6.5 million club option for next season) would figure to be a much less blockbuster-y solution to their LF woes. Heck, Laureano would be an even better solution than Duran if he keeps hitting anything close to his .362 mark over the past 16 games.”
Long-term, one has to imagine that Duran or Kwan will have a bigger impact than a journeyman like Laureano. But for two months, perhaps the 31-year-old can continue hitting above his career norms.
With an .887 OPS in 81 games so far this season, Laureano might be the impact bat no one knew would be such an important trade candidate.
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