The San Diego Padres have never been shy about swinging for the fences at the trade deadline. General Manager A.J. Preller has built a reputation on bold, salary-absorbing moves, and with the 2026 deadline pushed to August 3, he has more time than usual to craft a blockbuster. Across the diamond, the San Francisco Giants are sinking fast — a 29-43 record, 16.5 games back in the NL West — and facing an uncomfortable question: what to do with Rafael Devers and the $199.5 million still owed to him through 2033.
Devers arrived in San Francisco last June with All-Star credentials and a generational contract. The returns so far have been brutal. Through the first half of 2026, the third baseman is slashing .235 with a .706 OPS, nine home runs, and a 98 wRC+. His strikeout rate has climbed toward 30%, and he has posted negative-0.9 WAR. For a player making $31 million a year, that is replacement-level production. According to reports, frustration inside the Giants’ front office is real, and rival teams believe San Francisco is open to moving him — if the right suitor emerges.
That suitor could be San Diego. The Padres need a middle-of-the-order left-handed bat, and Devers, even at a discount in performance, fits the profile. Preller is reportedly willing to absorb significant salary this summer, which changes the calculus. For the Giants, the goal isn’t to give Devers away — it’s to create a trade package that balances some financial relief with actual prospect value.
Two Prospects Worth Watching
San Diego’s farm system is thin by most metrics, but two names have popped in 2026. Ryan Wideman, a 22-year-old third-round pick out of Western Kentucky in 2025, has exploded at Single-A Lake Elsinore. Through 60 games, he is slashing .327/.394/.527 with six home runs and 42 stolen bases. In June alone, he is hitting .390/.479/.659. He entered the season ranked as high as No. 4 in the Padres’ system, and his combination of elite speed and power upside makes him a potential center field cornerstone.
The second piece is right-handed reliever Garrett Hawkins. He posted a 1.69 ERA with 20 strikeouts across 16 innings at Double-A San Antonio to close 2025, and he opened 2026 at Triple-A El Paso. He is considered near-MLB-ready and could reinforce a bullpen immediately. For a Giants team in sell mode, a cost-controlled arm with upside checks a critical box.
The Framework of a Deal
A clean swap would look like this: the Padres get Devers, and the Giants receive Wideman and Hawkins. San Francisco would need to eat a chunk of that contract — but shedding $199 million and adding two promising prospects is a better outcome than watching Devers continue to underperform on a sinking ship. For Preller, it is the kind of high-upside, calculated gamble he has never avoided.
Devers remains a three-time All-Star with a career average of 33 home runs per year. If he bounces back, San Diego gets a bargain. If he doesn’t, the Padres have the payroll flexibility to absorb the risk. Either way, this trade could reshape the NL West for years to come.
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