GM A.J. Preller explains Padres' inactivity at trade deadline
Nearly everyone in baseball projected that the San Diego Padres would make multiple moves at the trade deadline, which created many scratched heads when the Padres front office didn't make a single move at the deadline.
The Padres' swollen payroll, a byproduct of new general manager A.J. Preller's busy offseason, in combination with their grim chances of making the postseason, suggested that San Diego would try to offload some of their large contracts in exchange for prospects.
Outfielder Justin Upton and closer Craig Kimbrel were the two most frequently named players expected to be dealt at the deadline.
However, not Upton, nor Kimbrel, nor any other Padres player was traded before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, which Preller explains in a CBS Sports report.
"It was a combination of things," Preller said. "We considered a little bit of everything. But ultimately, we didn't have the exact match we wanted. In other cases, we weren't going to make a trade just to make a trade. We had a couple things we were trying to get done. They just didn't line up."
The Padres are currently fourth place in the NL West with a 52-57 record; however, in the days leading up to deadline, the team won five out of six games.
"On top of it, we're playing better baseball," Preller added. "We played a tough schedule to this point, and our schedule gets a little bit easier. We're realistic. We know it's going to take a big effort. There are good teams in front of us. We understand what's before us."
(h/t CBS Sports)
