Padres can fix roster by linking up with Angels

Jun 3, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Jo Adell (7) and Los Angeles Angels left fielder Taylor Ward (3) celebrate after defeating the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The Padres have several holes to fill before the bell rings to end the trade deadline. If they link up with the Los Angeles Angels, multiple needs can be addressed simultaneously.
San Diego has a few needs on the roster that just jump up and scream at you. They desperately need a left fielder and likely another starting pitcher. Plus, it wouldn’t hurt to deepen the bench and even the bullpen.
The Los Angeles Angels don’t appear to be going anywhere. They are 33-37 and are still only three games out of the AL Wild Card race. However, five teams stand between them and the last playoff spot, and they are clearly outgunned. It would be in the Angels’ best interest to sell off some pieces.
Therefore, the Padres are seeking several upgrades. They need not divert from Interstate 5 to find them. These two franchises are less than 100 miles apart. The Angels have several intriguing pieces that would be upgrades over what the Padres currently have in certain slots.
Let’s take a look at a few players who would be instant upgrades in San Diego.

This is the most obvious one that has garnered some attention among several Padres sites, blogs, and social media platforms. The link is obvious. He tortured the Padres when the Angels came to San Diego and took two out of three from the Friars. He hit two homers and drove in five runs in those three games, including a devastating go-ahead grand slam against Alek Jacob. While Ward doesn’t hit for average or get on base at an elite clip, he does bring something the Padres severely lack- slug. His 18 home runs would lead the Padres this season, and his .477 slugging rate would be tied with Gavin Sheets for second on the team, just behind Manny Machado.
He brings an extra element the Padres need, a right-handed outfielder. However, he has reverse splits from most righties. Sixteen of his 18 homers have come against righties, while he has just a .665 OPS against lefties this season. But over his eight-year career, he has a better OPS versus southpaws.
Still, he is at least a league-average right-handed bat who can at least play serviceable defense in left field. He isn’t a franchise-altering, All-Star caliber player. However, he brings some much-needed thump. He is also under contract for 2026.
The Padres are currently down Michael King and Yu Darvish from a starting rotation that has a bit of house-of-cards feel to it. They are already missing Joe Musgrove for the entire season. Currently, their rotation arms consist of Nick Pivetta, Dylan Cease, Randy Vasquez, Ryan Bergert, and Stephen Kolek. To their credit, most of those players are pitching better than expected. However, depth is a serious concern.
Anderson is the quintessential “innings-eating veteran lefty” for this cycle. He is on an expiring deal, so the Padres would not be on the hook for any money for the 35-year-old after this season. He could be this year’s Martin Perez for San Diego, who was a throw-in addition at the deadline, who made some important starts for the Padres down the stretch in 2024. Anderson was an All-Star for the Angels last year, with a 3.81 ERA and 109 ERA+ in 179 innings last year. This year, his numbers are down. However, the Padres would not need him to consistently go six or seven innings with less than three runs allowed. The Las Vegas native owns a 4.44 ERA and 92 ERA+ this season. He could slide into the bottom of San Diego’s rotation and provide some veteran stability, and also be their only left-handed starter as of now.
One prohibitive aspect is Ward’s contract. He is owed $13 million for the full 2025 season. By now, it won’t be that much. However, the Padres could sweeten the deal to where the Angels pay part of that salary down the stretch.
Much like the dissertation on Ward, Adell adds an element to San Diego’s outfield they severely lack. He is third on the Angels with 13 homers. His .763 OPS and 112 OPS+ would both be career highs if it holds. His bat speed and expected slugging is among the most elite in the game. He is certainly an imperfect player, with a very poor chase rate and strikeout-to-walk ratio. However, the Padres simply need more power and stability at the left field spot. Adell has played more right field than left, with less-than-stellar defensive metrics. However, his bat might be enough for the Padres to pull the trigger. He is under team control for two more seasons after this one, as well.
A wild card to consider is the lefty pitcher Detmers. The Angels moved Detmers to the bullpen this season after he made 75 starts in the previous four seasons. They did so to mixed results. His numbers on the surface do not look good at all. His 5.22 ERA and 79 ERA+ would give anyone thinking of acquiring him cause for pause. However, his FIP is way down at 2.77 with a strikeout rate in the 86th percentile. He gets swing-and-misses at a fantastic rate.
The Padres don’t necessarily need more bullpen arms to be successful; they would benefit from a reshuffling. Detmers’ FIP would rank third-best in San Diego’s bullpen right now, ahead of lefties Wandy Peralta and Yuki Matsui. Detmers is also under contract through 2028. Also, in a pinch, Detmers could slide into the rotation once again.
Let’s do a deal that addresses multiple needs for the Padres. None of these players would merit San Diego parting with either of Ethan Salas or Leo De Vries. But to acquire multiple pieces, a few of which are under team control beyond this year, the Angels will want fair compensation.
Padres get: OF Taylor Ward, LHP Tyler Anderson, LHP Reid Detmers, and cash (for Anderson’s contract)
Angels get: LHP Kash Mayfield (SD #3), RHP Humberto Cruz (SD #4), Tirso Ornelas (SD #11), and LHP Jagger Haynes (SD #19)
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.