SAN DIEGO — The Padres arrived at Deadline day with a roster they felt had a World Series-caliber ceiling — and several key flaws that needed to be addressed.
San Diego continued its wild day of wheeling and dealing by acquiring Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano in a deal with the Orioles, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The clubs have not confirmed the agreement. Here are the specifics of the deal, per MLB Network insider Jon Morosi:
TRADE DETAILS
Padres get: IF/OF Ryan O’Hearn, OF Ramón Laureano
Orioles get: LHP Boston Bateman (San Diego’s No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline), INF Cobb Hightower (No. 6), RHP Tyson Neighbors (No. 12), INF/OF Victor Figueroa (No. 29), INF Brandon Butterworth (unranked), RHP Tanner Smith (unranked)
San Diego also announced it had acquired infielder Will Wagner, the son of newly inducted Hall of Famer Billy Wagner, from the Blue Jays for catcher Brandon Valenzuela (Padres’ No. 26 prospect).
And just before the 3 p.m. PT Trade Deadline, the Padres acquired left-hander Nestor Cortesfrom the Brewers, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. Cortes has started only two games for Milwaukee this season (1-1, 9.00 ERA) because of an ongoing left elbow flexor strain. He recently went on a rehab assignment.
O’Hearn, who was named the starting DH for the American League in the All-Star Game, is having a career year in 2025, hitting .283/.374/.463. He slots right into the Padres’ DH spot, with the ability to play first base and left field — the way San Diego has deployed Gavin Sheets this season. O’Hearn is slated to become a free agent this winter.
Laureano, meanwhile, slots into the left field spot that the Padres have spent the past eight months trying to fill. He’s hitting .290/.355/.529 with 15 homers. Laureano has a team option worth $6.5 million for the 2026 season.
Where does that leave Sheets? For now, it leaves him as an elite power threat off the bench — which has also been one of the Padres’ biggest question marks this season.
The collective cost was steep. But the Padres are going for it. Under general manager A.J. Preller, they always are.
