1 player Padres must trade before spring training

The San Diego Padres are aiming for one thing and one thing only: to win their first-ever World Series title. This ball club has had to watch its divisional rival win back-to-back titles while the Padres contain a team worthy of winning one.

Led by Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., the Padres have a deep lineup and position players with elite defense. Machado is one of the best defensive players in the league at third base, while Tatis Jr. has won consecutive Platinum Glove awards in right field, proving to be the best defensive outfielder in baseball right now.

The Padres have a decent pitching rotation, but a dominant bullpen that was one of the best in the league one year ago. Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam, and David Morgan are on pace to repeat their 2025 seasons for an even better season in 2026. The team lost Robert Suarez in free agency to the Atlanta Braves, but they have plenty of depth and arguably the biggest weapon in the league in Miller.

The Padres are not in a position to sell. They are capable of making it back to the postseason and going on a run. The offseason is where Padres general manager A.J. Preller thrives. Preller is always making moves, trying to improve the ballclub with talent. There is a good chance that Preller continues to make moves ahead of Spring Training, and if not, right before the start of the season. If there was one person that the Padres could trade away, it would be second baseman Jake Cronenworth.

Cronenworth has been a valuable asset to the lineup since he arrived in 2020. Cronenworth was traded along with Tommy Pham from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Padres for Hunter Renfroe. It turned out that Cronenworth was the better fit, as Pham didn’t last long in San Diego. Cronenworth has been a defensive wizard for the Padres, playing second base, first base, and even shortstop. The Michigan product has not been the best hitter overall, but has had his moments throughout the years.

9️⃣ days until Opening Day

Throwback to Jake Cronenworth sending the Padres to the NLCS in 2022. pic.twitter.com/w5lfvkG8u7

— Al Scott (@AlScott1998) March 18, 2025

The infielder has 80 career home runs, 369 RBIs, 687 hits, a career .247 batting average, and a career .741 OPS. The Padres have seen Cronenworth play well for an extended period of time; however, he has had a tough time getting back to the player he was in 2021. Cronenworth hit .246 with 11 homers and 59 RBIs last season, batting around at the end of the lineup. He was a Silver Slugger finalist in 2025 as a utility player. With his ability to play multiple defensive positions, he contains value. If the Padres were to trade anyone, he would make the most sense.

San Diego could do two things: trade him for pitching help in either the rotation or bullpen. Or, the Padres could package him with a few prospects and acquire an elite first baseman. San Diego is set on seven of the eight positions on the diamond. They can afford to get rid of Cronenworth if it means they can get more pop in the lineup.

This team struggled to hit home runs last season. They were one of the worst teams in the league last year when hitting for power. Getting rid of a player who has hit only 28 over the last two seasons could open up the door for other opportunities and an improvement in that area. Newly added Sung-Mun Song can replace Cronenworth at second base, while Gavin Sheets can get extra at-bats at DH or first base if needed, depending on the return package. Song had 20 home runs and an .889 OPS last season in the KBO. Sheets hit 19 homers and had 71 RBIs last season in his first year in San Diego.

It must be noted that the Padres have had very few rumors (if any at all) about trading Cronenworth away. He is a fan favorite who has been a great role player for the rise of this ballclub. You never know what Preller is cooking up in San Diego. Nick Pivetta has even had his name surface as a potential trade asset, though the Padres need starting pitching. If Preller finds a great package for Cronenworth, it may benefit his team as they aim to make a serious run in 2026.

The Padres will be a team to watch in 2026. With Miller headlining the bullpen, Machado, Tatis, and Jackson Merrill headlining the offense, the Friars have some serious talent to finally win their first-ever World Series.

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