𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The Padres paid a steep price to address their dire need for rotation help at the deadline, surrendering Kash Mayfield, Miguel Mendez, Joniel Hernandez and Jackson Wolf to acquire rental starters Robbie Ray and Casey Mize.

Mayfield was the organization’s consensus top pitching prospect. Mendez, a righty with big stuff, wasn’t far behind. Some team officials viewed Hernandez, a teenage shortstop, as a future top-100 prospect.

But no team is quite in win-now mode like San Diego. Ray and Mize will join Michael King to give the Padres a solid trio. And with Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove aiming for late-August returns, a once-glaring weakness, could become a strength by October. For now, the Padres remain on the outside of the National League playoff picture. But with Monday’s additions, they might now be favored to overtake the rival Diamondbacks for a wild-card spot.