The San Diego Padres had a strong 2024 season but fell short against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. As they aim for a World Series appearance in 2025, they may also need to consider their long-term plans.
While the Padres boast a roster filled with veteran superstars, their farm system is lacking, with only two prospects ranked in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100. Sports Illustrated’s Patrick McAvoy recently proposed a blockbuster trade involving Fernando Tatis Jr. to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a package of young talent:
Padres receive: OF Wilyer Abreu, RHP Kutter Crawford, INF Franklin Arias, RHP Richard Fitts
Red Sox receive: OF Fernando Tatis Jr.
Arias and Fitts are ranked as the Red Sox’s No. 4 and No. 10 prospects, respectively. Abreu, who earned a Gold Glove in 2024 during his first full MLB season, hit 15 home runs with a .781 OPS and won’t be a free agent until 2030. Crawford is a promising pitcher who might thrive in a new environment.
Trading Tatis would be a significant loss for the Padres, but it would provide financial flexibility and inject their roster with young talent. A potential outfield duo of Abreu and Jackson Merrill could be fixtures in San Diego for years to come.
Tatis, despite struggling to stay healthy, remains one of the game’s elite players. Over his career, he’s posted a .279/.350/.533 slash line with 127 home runs. He signed a 14-year, $340 million contract in 2021, with annual salaries exceeding $20 million starting in 2025 through the end of the deal.
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