Padres Outfield Gap Could be Filled in Trade for Silver Slugger Outfielder
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The San Diego Padres have work to do to replace Jason Heyward in left field.
The 35-year-old was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with an oblique strain, and the Padres have gone with a committee of players to fill the void. It's expected for them to pursue an outfielder from a selling team at the trade deadline.
R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports named Cedric Mullins as a potential target for the Padres.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 24: Cedric Mullins #31 of the Baltimore Orioles makes a sliding catch on Ceddanne Rafaela #3 of the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning of game one of a doubleheader...
BOSTON, MA - MAY 24: Cedric Mullins #31 of the Baltimore Orioles makes a sliding catch on Ceddanne Rafaela #3 of the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning of game one of a doubleheader at Fenway Park on May 24, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. More"Mullins is in the midst of his most productive season since 2021 (when he finished ninth in MVP Award voting) despite a Baseball Savant page that's bluer than the Tick," wrote Anderson. "He's mastered the art of pulling the ball in the air, allowing him to outslug his meager exit velocities, and he's successfully stolen bases at an 80% clip for his career. He's also walking more than normal, having reduced his swing rate to a full-season low."
Mullins is expected to be shipped to a contender after the Baltimore Orioles have continued to fall apart this season. The O's centerfielder entered Thursday hitting .226 with 10 home runs and 31 RBI. The 30-year-old outfielder has recorded a 122 OPS+ which is slightly above league average.
While Mullins would provide an upgrade to the Padres offensively over what they have now as well as Heyward, Anderson believes teams will take a defensive-first approach with Mullins.
"What it comes down to, then, is how teams view his defense, wrote Anderson. "A club who believes he's at least average in center could view him as a comfortably above-average talent nearing his date with free agency."
Pairing Mullins with a young phenom in Jackson Merrill is certainly something general manager AJ Preller would be willing to do. Mullins would give the lineup more flexibility as well if Merrill needs a day off.
Mullins will be a free agent at the end of the season, so the Padres wouldn't have to give up much for the Orioles to ship him out west.
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