The San Diego Padres and New York Yankees both have glaring needs as the season enters the second half. Both teams are chasing postseason berths. As the trade deadline approaches, these two teams match in a prospective megadeal that benefits both.

The Padres are clinging to the third Wild Card spot in the National League. San Diego trails the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers by only a handful of games for the first and second Wild Cards, respectively. However, the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds are right on their heels. The Yankees, on the other hand, currently hold the first Wild Card in the American League. They trail the Toronto Blue Jays by 2.5 games for first place in the AL East as of July 5.

Currently, neither side has a roster well-suited for a deep playoff run in October. But that could change for at least one team if this hypothetical megadeal were to happen. First, it’s important to understand the specific needs of both teams.

What the Padres need

San Diego has played the season with a plethora of failed options at left field. President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller took a gamble on a pair of cheap veterans before Spring Training. He signed Jason Heyward and Connor Joe to be a left field platoon. Both players have been released.

Preller may have found a solution in left field for now in Gavin Sheets. The left-handed outfielder has been serviceable at the position and in the lineup. However, he is not the permanent solution there.

The Padres’ biggest need is at the catcher position. San Diego currently has Elias Diaz and Martin Maldonado sharing catcher duties. Diaz currently has a .588 OPS and 74 wRC+. Maldonado is even worse (.515 OPS, 44 wRC+) and is considered the worst catcher in baseball.

As you can see, the Padres need a defensive upgrade in left field and a major offensive upgrade behind the plate.

What the Yankees need 

The Bronx team’s rotation took a hit early when it was announced that Gerrit Cole would need season-ending Tommy John Surgery. It received more bad news in early July when it was announced that Clark Schmidt is also done for the year.

The Yankees were getting by without Cole. They can’t continue to get by after losing Schmidt. It gets worse when you consider that starting pitching isn’t their only need.

New York also needs help in their bullpen. The Yankees acquired closer Devin Williams from the Brewers last winter to address their need in the pen. Thus far, he has been a disappointment.

Williams sits at a 5.17 ERA and was demoted from the closer role earlier this season. Add in the fact that the Yankees also need help at second base, and you see a roster riddled with holes heading into the MLB All-Star break.

How a Padres-Yankees megadeal would look 

For the Yankees

The Padres and Yankees can address all needs with one big trade. It’s not likely the Padres will retain Dylan Cease after the season. He will likely seek a multi-year contract this winter, which may be more expensive than San Diego is willing to pay. It’s better to trade him for a valuable return.

San Diego has a large sum of money committed to several players over the next decade. Any kind of relief helps in the long run. A small portion of that money is committed to Jake Cronenworth (five years, $61,428,570 remaining). The left-handed hitting second baseman has a .737 OPS and 113 wRC+, and is a good defender.

The Padres have Luis Arraez, who can play second if needed, if the two sides can agree to an extension. Parting with Cronenworth wouldn’t leave a hole at second base if he were to be moved.

Finally, San Diego’s closer duties currently belong to Robert Suarez. The flame-throwing righty can opt in to a 2-year, $16 million contract after the season ends. He has been shaky in his past few starts, but for most of the season, he has shown that he can be a dominant closer.

The Padres-Yankees megadeal is beginning to take shape. The Padres have an offer that can help New York with its rotation, bullpen, and second base.

For the Padres

The Yankees would not send back major leaguers, but major league-ready prospects. These are players that would not only keep the Padres in contention but also extend their contention window a few more years.

The first prospect is Spencer Jones. Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 240 pounds, Jones is a slightly smaller version of Aaron Judge. His above-average left-handed power would add a boost to the Padres’ lineup and would complement well with that of Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis, Jr. The Padres would have one of the best-hitting outfields for the next several years.

The only concern with Jones is his plate discipline. He has a high swing-and-miss rate, which can be improved. Jones is expected to make his major league debut this season.

The next player from the Yankees would be catcher Rafael Flores. Expected to debut next year, Flores would be an instant upgrade behind the plate for the Padres. Named the Yankees’ Minor League Player of the Year in 2024, Flores also features above-average power and 20-25 home run potential. The Padres had similar production from Kyle Higashioka last season. With Flores, they could have that kind of production for the next several seasons.

The Padres would receive two additional players in this Padres-Yankees megadeal. Brock Selvidge is a left-handed starter who could slot in at the back of the Padres’ rotation. Cease is the Padres’ current number two starter, so Selvidge shouldn’t be seen as his replacement.

Supposedly … yes, supposedly, Michael King and Yu Darvish are expected back from injury sometime after the All-Star break. They would join Nick Pivetta and Randy Vasquez, who have been in the rotation since Opening Day.

Selvidge features a mid-90s fastball, a high-80s cutter, and a low-80s sweeping slider. If he were not to stick in the rotation, his stuff works well out of the bullpen.

The last player from the Yankees in this Padres-Yankees megadeal is infielder Jorbit Vivas. Signed out of Venezuela in 2017, Vivas provides an upgrade to the Padres’ bench. His plate discipline fits the team’s offensive philosophy, and he can play multiple infield positions.

How does this deal help the Padres?

Losing Cronenworth opens up second base for the remainder of the season, allowing Arraez to return to his original position. Jones would take over in left field, making Sheets either the permanent designated hitter or the starting first baseman.

The Padres add more power to their lineup with cheap, controllable players. In addition, moving Cease, Cronenworth, and Suarez would free up more than $30 million this winter. This doesn’t factor in the rest of the money falling off their payroll after the season ends.

This megadeal puts San Diego in a position to contend for at least the next five years, if not more. As for the Yankees, it improves their chances of regaining first place in the AL East and making another deep run in October.

Mike Ursery

Mike is the sports editor for the Fayette Advertiser, and has been with East Village Times since 2015. His work has appeared on Bleacher Report. He is an avid Padres fan who is keeping the faith and trusting the process.