Here is a blockbuster trade idea that would make a huge difference in the San Diego Padres’ 2025 season and help the Baltimore Orioles restructure for next year and beyond. 

The San Diego Padres started the 2025 season as one of the best teams in the league.

Over the last few weeks, the team has come down to earth, and several factors have contributed to their return to normalcy. The lineup lacks depth, as the bottom third has turned into a group of easy outs. The Padres are getting very little production from the left field and catcher positions.

Elias Diaz and Jason Heyward are not the answer moving forward. The team needs to make a move.

The Baltimore Orioles enjoyed a fruitful 2024 season, finishing 91-71 and three games behind the Yankees for the AL Wild Card. The Orioles are 18-34 this season and already 14 games behind the Yankees. The fans are up in arms. The Orioles already fired their manager, Brandon Hyde, as he was the scapegoat for the poor start. They are 3-7 in their last ten games, and clearly, the 2025 season is over for this group.

Examining the rosters of both teams presents an idea.

Cedric Mullins is enjoying a productive season and is due for free agency at the end of the year. The Orioles will likely not re-sign the centerfielder, and he makes a ton of sense for the Padres, who crave production from the left field position. There are already reports that the team is actively looking for help.

The Padres would surely have a ton of interest in him, but why stop there?

Here is the idea.

The trade

The San Diego Padres trade Ethan Salas, Randy Vasquez, Wandy Peralta, Brandon Lockridge, Isaiah Lowe, and Boston Bateman for Adley Rutschman, Cedric Mullins, and a lower-level prospect.

Why would Baltimore do this?

Okay. Okay. Adley Rutschman? Really?

Yes, it may be possible. We know Rutschman is the franchise’s darling, but his numbers have soured every season since he entered the league in 2022. His numbers this year are down even more as the backstop sits around the .200 mark with his batting average, and currently owns a .569 OPS and a .299 on-base percentage. The team is concerned and may choose to max out on his trade value now. With two and a half years of control, a team should expect to pay a hefty price tag.

The Orioles’ top prospect is a catcher named Samuel Basallo. The 20-year-old is playing really well in Triple-A and is ready for action in the majors. He is a left-handed hitter with an amazing arm and a powerful swing. He also grades as a 55 with his hit tool. He is the No. 16 prospect in all of baseball. Losing Rutschman would hurt, but the team has a homegrown talent ready to step in immediately. Salas may take a few years, but he provides insurance to the team and a future at the position.

The Orioles will likely trade Mullins at some point. They will cash in and obtain prospects for the future.

The Padres’ return provides immediate help in the rotation with Vasquez and also gives the Orioles an option in centerfield after losing Mullins. Peralta provides relief help to the Orioles and a left-handed arm out of the pen. Bateman and Lowe are top pitching prospects in the Padres system, and then there is Ethan Salas. Rutscman is a two-time all-star and is in the prime of his career. The Orioles would require a safety net if Basallo were unable to perform for the team behind the dish and needed to be moved to first base. Salas is listed as the No. 29 overall prospect in baseball, and his glove is a sure thing.

Losing Rutschman would be difficult, but the team could gain help in several areas with this proposed deal.

Why would San Diego do this?

Trading Salas is not ideal, but the window of competition is open now.

Adley Rutschman gives the Padres a catcher through the 2027 season. Yes, he is not hitting. But we wouldn’t even be having this discussion if he were. Getting away from the pressure of the Orioles’ expectations may be just what he needs to reach his upside. His contract is not excessive, and that fits with the restraints of the current roster structure when it comes to money. Mullins would be a pure rental for the Padres for the rest of the season, but they need production from the left field position.

The lineup depth that this trade would produce is astounding.

Possible lineup after the trade

Tatis- RF
Arraez-1B
Machado-3B
Merrill-CF
Mullins-LF
Sheets-DH
Rutschman-C
Bogaerts-SS
Cronenworth-2B

The Padres would instantly possess the best lineup in all of baseball.

With five left-handed hitters in that lineup, the team would need right-handed counterparts for some of them. In the past, Cronenworth and Sheets have struggled with southpaws, but Merrill, Arraez, and Mullins do well against them. Mullins owns a .922 OPS this season against lefties, as opposed to a .759 OPS against right-handed pitchers. Thankfully, the majority of the pitchers in the league are right-handed, so this isn’t a major concern.

Vasquez would be a tough loss, but the Padres are preparing for Yu Darvish‘s return, and Kyle Hart is in the minors and capable of filling out the rotation for now. Matt Waldron is also close to returning and could be a factor for the club down the stretch. The Padres could also add an arm in a separate deal if they feel it is necessary. Peralta would be a salary dump for the Padres and help balance the budget. The Orioles need relief help, and the veteran could assist in that regard. Trading him would help offset the payroll in paying Rutschman for the next two-plus years.

The chances of this happening

Nothing is ever out of the realm of imagination when it comes to A.J. Preller and his baseball team.

With that being said, there is a chance. Pulling off a deal with Rutschman in it may be a minor miracle, but a Mullins deal certainly seems feasible. The Padres need help, and the Orioles will surely look for some prospects to round out their roster in the coming years. The Padres have a few that may be enticing to Baltimore.

The Padres need to address the holes in left field and behind the plate. Since no clear replacements are in-house, a trade will be the only way to upgrade the roster.

The Orioles and the Padres make sense. If Baltimore throws in the white towel on the 2025 season, the Padres will surely be front and center.

Preller and his staff are always on the lookout for an advantage. Landing a superior catcher like Rutschman could catapult the Padres into a World Series title. The catching position is weak right now, and Rutschman is capable of being one of the best in the game. The price would be steep, but the Padres are in a position where they need to step up to the plate.

Trading multiple prospects and a few young major leaguers for immediate help seems imminent.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.