Padres pull off blockbusters, named one of the trade deadline winners

The San Diego Padres aren’t scared to make big trades, thanks to president of baseball operations/general manager A.J. Preller.

This year was no different. The Padres made a lot of moves, strengthening their bullpen by adding Mason Miller from the Athletics and shoring up other roster holes by trading for Freddy Fermin, Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano.

Writers from The Athletic ranked teams based on trade deadline winners, losers and snoozers. The Padres were a winner.

“Leo De Vries might end up a superstar, a cosmic credit card bill for the Fernando Tatis Jr. trade, but it’s hard to care about that from here,” wrote Grant Brisbee. “Preller’s single-minded mission is to make the Padres better and do it now now now now, and that’s exactly what he’s done.”

Trading De Vries would be a tough pill to swallow for probably every other team, but is it for the Padres?

De Vries is the third best prospect in Major League Baseball, but the team acquired one of the most lockdown closers in the sport by trading him.

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It may seem silly to trade an 18-year-old with lots of potential for a closer, but Miller joins a bullpen unit with the best ERA in MLB (2.97).

Pitching wins championships. The Padres shipped out a lot of prospects on Thursday, but you have to consider the division they are in.

It’s hard to compete in the National League West. At 60-49, the Padres sit three-games back from the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place.

Adding O’Hearn, Laureano and Fermin to the lineup will pay dividends down the stretch for San Diego in what will be a fun division race.

More MLB: Cubs have disappointing trade deadline, fail to acquire controllable starter