The San Diego Padres’ new ownership group is planning to give GM **A.J. Preller** more financial flexibility at this year’s trade deadline, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. That’s a development that could shake up the market in a big way.
“If anything, Preller could become even more dangerous once the Padres’ $3.9 billion sale to **Jose E. Feliciano** and his wife, **Kwanza Jones**, is finalized,” Rosenthal writes. “At the past three deadlines, Preller operated with limited payroll flexibility. Some teams hear that Feliciano and Jones, while not yet approved, plan to grant him greater financial leeway.”
This comes at the right time for San Diego. The club’s offense has been inconsistent, with **Manny Machado**, **Jackson Merrill**, and **Fernando Tatis Jr.** all struggling to find their rhythm. The starting rotation needs reinforcements too.
What makes this different is Preller’s track record when he’s got room to maneuver. Even with a farm system that isn’t what it once was, he’s shown he can get creative. Last season’s acquisition of **Mason Miller** at the deadline proved that point – they landed arguably baseball’s best closer.
Now that the new owners seem willing to open the checkbooks, Preller could target bigger names. Think **Tarik Skubal**, **Sandy Alcantara**, or **Freddy Peralta**. Those are the kind of moves that require taking on salary, something that’s been a limitation in recent years.
The timing works for San Diego’s championship window. With core players still in their prime, this could be the deadline where ownership decides to go all-in rather than operate with the payroll constraints that have defined recent trade periods.
All things considered, Padres fans might be looking at another active July. Preller’s got a reputation for making deals happen, and if he’s got the financial backing to match his ambition, it could get interesting fast.
