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Sources: With Robinson Cano out, Padres calling up Nomar Mazara

By Robert Murray

PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 17: Nomar Mazara #16 of the San Diego Padres poses for a portrait during photo day at the Peoria Sports Complex on March 17, 2022 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 17: Nomar Mazara #16 of the San Diego Padres poses for a portrait during photo day at the Peoria Sports Complex on March 17, 2022 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /
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With Robinson Cano’s time in San Diego soon coming to an end, the Padres are calling up outfielder Nomar Mazara, according to sources familiar with the situation.

After Wednesday’s game, in which Robinson Cano’s numbers with the San Diego Padres dropped to .091/.118/.091 in 34 plate appearances, there was growing chatter that they would move on from the 39-year-old slugger.

Indeed, the Padres are expected to request that Cano be optioned on Thursday, which he is expected to decline, making him a free agent once again.

With Cano out of the picture, the opening now exists for San Diego to fill its outfield need with Nomar Mazara.

The Padres hope Mazara can provide depth to an offense that has struggled in 2022. While they rank 17th in runs scored, they rank 28th in hard-hit rate and rank last in barrel percentage, according to Statcast. Mazara, 27, provides depth with upside off the bench – he’s hitting .367/.454/.641 with a 1.095 OPS in 35 games in Triple-A this season – and is a former top prospect with the Texas Rangers.

But the Padres may need to explore the trade market to see more meaningful changes on offense and there figure to be no shortage of options available at the trade deadline. But with the Padres hovering around the $230 million luxury-tax threshold, how aggressive can president of baseball operations be?

Preller, who is known for being creative in trade talks, has something that the other 29 teams do not have: a surplus of starting pitching. Would they entertain dealing one of their starters, especially after their rotation was a significant factor in their 2021 collapse? There’s less than two months until the trade deadline, but Preller may need to act quicker to save his underperforming offense.

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