Padres top trade target is $20 million ace from AL East

Padres top trade target is $20 million ace from AL East originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The San Diego Padres could be looking for a new ace next season. 

Michael King could opt out of the final two years of his contract to become a free agent. 

Ideally, the Padres would love to retain King and acquire another starter via trade or free agency. 

Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller believes the offseason could go one of two ways for San Diego’s pitching staff. 

“There’s a dream scenario in which Michael King doesn’t opt out of the two years left on his contract while both Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish make triumphant returns in 2027.

“There’s also a nightmare scenario in which none of those things happen and the Padres are looking at JP Sears, Jhony Brito and Jagger Haynes as regulars in the rotation behind Nick Pivetta and Randy Vásquez,” Miller wrote. 

Miller tabbed Drew Rasmussen as a prime trade target for the Padres.

He is the ace of the Tampa Bay Rays and has allowed just three earned runs in 21 postseason innings in 2026. 

“Maybe they can pry Rasmussen away from Tampa Bay?” Miller added. 

Just about any club in the Majors would love to have an arm like Rasmussen, who threw a career-high 172 innings this year. 

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He is a lock to finish top 10 in AL Cy Young Award voting for the second straight year.

With recent injuries to Musgrove and Darvish, San Diego could use another reliable starter. Rasmussen is one of the best in the business. 

He could be the difference between losing in the early rounds of the postseason and a run to the World Series. 

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