MLB Trade Deadline: 5 trades Padres should make

The San Diego Padres are in fire sale mode, but what trade chips do they have left to deal?

After a tough first year under general manager A.J. Preller, the San Diego Padres are headed for an extended period of rebuilding, and will be selling off anything of short-term value at the 2016 MLB Trade Deadline.

Preller got to work right away after being hired near the end of the 2014 season, adding pieces like James Shields, Craig Kimbrel and Matt Kemp in an effort to build an instant contender. Most of the moves backfired, and the Padres finished a disappointing 74-88.

Several holes emerged on Preller’s poorly constructed roster, and the team made it clear it was not going to contend in 2016 prior to the season by dealing Kimbrel to the Boston Red Sox for a huge return. Shields and Fernando Rodney followed earlier in the regular season, as San Diego quickly fell behind in the tough NL West.

As the Padres are several seasons away from competing with the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Francisco Giants and need to rebuild a depleted farm system, they should even consider dealing players under contract for 2017 or 2018. Other than emerging star Wil Myers, just about any player on San Diego’s 25-man roster could be on the market.

San Diego has been hit with a couple of tough injury breaks, as top trade chips Jon Jay and Tyson Ross are currently on the disabled list. The team would also love to move Matt Kemp’s contract, but finding a suitor seems unlikely at the moment.

Still, it’s not all doom and gloom, as the Padres have a few players who could generate solid returns in a weak trade market.

Next: 5. Deal from the bullpen