Padres Tabbed ‘Team To Watch’ In Luis Robert Jr. Trade Sweepstakes

The San Diego Padres desperately need to add a left fielder ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline. With Fernando Tatis Jr. in right field and Jackson Merrill in center field, the Padres have two-thirds of a star-studded outfield. But left field has been a revolving door of players who’ve struggled.

There aren’t many great available outfielders on the market at the trade deadline, but there are a few options the Padres could pursue in the final hours before the deadline passes.

MLB’s Mark Feinsand recently reported the Padres were one of the teams to watch in the sweepstakes to land Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr.

“Luis Robert Jr. is one of the main trade candidates to watch today. The Mets and Phillies remain in the mix to some extent, but according to a source, the Padres have emerged as the team to watch. San Diego seems motivated to add an outfielder today,” Feinsand wrote in a post to X on Thursday morning.

Robert, at worst, is an elite baserunner who plays Gold Glove defense in the outfield. Adding the star next to Tatis and Merrill, two of the better outfield defenders in the league, would practically turn San Diego’s outfield into a no-fly zone.

His struggles at the plate over the last two years have been concerning, but he’s heating up as of late and looks to be a prime change-of-scenery candidate. If he gets moved out of Chicago, there’s a chance he thrives in a new environment with a new team.

Adding his bat to the Padres lineup would take a lot of the pressure off his shoulders, too. Rather than be the top name in one of the worst lineups in baseball, Robert would be a piece of a stacked lineup in San Diego.

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