The San Diego Padres’ search for a left fielder continues as the trade deadline approaches. General manager A.J. Preller is unlikely to let the deadline pass without addressing the situation, and the Padres still have work to do in the National League Wild Card battle. The Athletic’s Tim Britton, Aaron Gleeman, and Eno Sarris all believe the Padres need to add hitters.
“Thanks to a deeper NL Central than anyone anticipated, the Padres have dropped out of playoff position in the last week,” they wrote in their column. “And that highlights their position of apparent, glaring need: left field.
San Diego’s offensive numbers in left have improved since Gavin Sheets began playing there, but the defense has suffered, and Sheets’ bat only helps the lineup so much when he is replaced at DH by José Iglesias or Trenton Brooks. ” The Padres understand they need to acquire a good bat with respectable defense in left field, and Ryan O’Hearn of the Baltimore Orioles could be the answer. O’Hearn has a.294/.381/.472 batting line with 11 home runs and 30 RBI as of Thursday. The 31-year-old slugger was recently selected the American League’s starting designated hitter for the 2017 All-Star Game.
While he has largely played first base for the Orioles this season, he has seen more action in the outfield than ever before as Baltimore seeks to improve his trade worth. The Padres understand that there is increased urgency to close deals before the deadline. “Right now eight National League teams are on pace to win 87 games, which means some good teams won’t be playing into October,” they wrote in a joint statement. “That puts extra emphasis on the upgrades available for the home stretch.” O’Hearn would be an excellent fit for the Padres, who could benefit immensely from his offensive contributions. In 16 innings this season, he’s been a league-average left field defender. He has 112 innings in right field, which is somewhat below league average.
San Diego may not find the “perfect” option, but O’Hearn is about the best the Padres can hope for. He’s owed the remainder of his $8 million club option this year before entering free agency, so San Diego wouldn’t have to pay much to complete the deal.
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