Padres should trade for Orioles OF Ramón Laureano immediately
Jun 30, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Orioles right fielder Ramon Laureano (12) hits a double and drives in a run during the eleventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Padres are playing poorly. If it continues, waiting until the trade deadline to make a deal will be too late. The Padres should trade for Ramón Laureano immediately.
I wrote about the Padres possibly trading for Orioles outfielder Ramón Laureano roughly a month ago. As time has passed, it only makes more and more sense.
In case you haven’t heard, the Padres have an egregiously bad bottom of the lineup. They currently have the upstart Gavin Sheets playing left field to mask the roster hole. Even if he plays that spot more than expected, the Padres desperately need another bat in the outfield, especially a right-handed one. That is the single biggest need this Padres team has- right-handed bats.
What about a veteran outfielder with strong defensive metrics, having a solid offensive season on a fading team, who is on an expiring contract? That seems like the perfect match.
That is where we find Laureano.
The Orioles are going nowhere fast this season. At 37-47, FanGraphs projects Baltimore’s postseason chances to be 4.7%. Whether they want to admit it or not, it’s time to sell off a few minor pieces at least.
Laureano makes the most sense of all, as a veteran who will be a free agent at the end of this season.
The 30-year-old right-handed bat is exactly what the Padres need. He boasts one of the best throwing arms in baseball, ranking in the 98th percentile for Baseball Savant’s “arm value.”
Historically, he has been a glove-first player. This year, however, he is having something of a breakout campaign offensively.
In 57 games thus far, he has 10 home runs, with a .287 average, .896 OPS, and 150 wRC+.
Minimum of 190 plate appearances, Laureano’s 150 wRC+ is sixth-best among outfielders, higher than the likes of Corbin Carroll and Pete Crow-Armstrong.
The Padres need more guys who can hit lefties. He has a career .795 OPS against left-handed pitchers. This year, he has slightly reversed splits (.999 OPS vs. RHP) but still hits lefties better than most in the Padres lineup.
Putting Laureano in left field would make San Diego’s outfield one of the best in baseball defensively, with Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. to his left. Plus, he can still contribute as a designated hitter or bounce around those other outfield spots when one of those two need a break, and Sheets can still man left.
Given that he has never been an All-Star and will soon be 31 years old and a free agent, the compensation required by Baltimore should not be astronomical. The Santo Domingo native is a quick, simple addition the Padres need to make immediately.
A.J. Preller should be on the phone with Orioles general manager Mike Elias for as long as it takes to get this deal done.
As mentioned, it should not be a monumental blockbuster. Here is a somewhat realistic projection for a trade to Baltimore.
Padres get: OF Ramon Laureano
Orioles get: OF Tirso Ornelas (SD #11) and LHP Austin Krob (SD #30)
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.