Should the Padres sign Jorge Soler to strengthen bench?
Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Angels recently DFA’d Outfielder Jorge Soler after two years with the club. With this in mind, Soler may be a solid post-trade-deadline addition to the Padres.
With the 2026 trade deadline behind us, the only avenues for acquiring new talent are off waivers or free agency. The market is certainly thin, but it still has plenty of potential add-ons.
After being designated for assignment by the Angels, Jorge Soler elected free agency. It’s a rough patch for a player of his caliber, but one that the Padres could take advantage of.
The Padres have been looking for a solid outfielder for some time now. Their trade to the Detroit Tigers indeed included Gage Workman, who’s spent some time in the outfield; there’s always an opportunity to fortify the team with tested and proven talent.
With the Angels, Soler collected -0.5 WAR across 168 games, slashing .208/.292/.380. While the numbers on their own don’t inspire much hope, Soler adds value in other departments.
Soler can play both sides of the outfield, meaning he can occupy left on some days or take over for Fernando Tatis Jr. in right field if he’s deployed at second base. Soler also possesses pretty solid career numbers against left-handed pitchers, something the Padres have struggled with all season.
In the past, Soler has been a part of multiple successful World Series teams, like the Chicago Cubs in 2016 and the Atlanta Braves in 2021. In particular, his work on the Braves secured him the World Series MVP title.
Right now, the Padres are on the hunt for a wildcard spot and intend to put everything they can into a playoff bid. Something they aspire to every year. However, not everyone on their team has strong playoff experience. Jorge Soler could be the answer to that, delivering strong, focused leadership.
Across his 30 postseason games, Soler slashes .275/.389/.638 with a 1.027 OPS.
His most recent postseason appearance was in 2024, ironically against the Padres. In his two games, he collected one homer and one RBI.
Jorge Soler- 10-02-2024
Postseason ? pic.twitter.com/4786N7UtAP— Random Braves Home Runs (@ATLHR_) August 2, 2026
Soler, while a bit removed from previous success, still has many upsides and could certainly fit on the Padres roster. If they do intend to make the playoffs, someone with playoff success is a must.
