Padres Trade Talks Could Have Ripple Effect with Chihuahuas

Last night, El Paso shined on the national stage as the Pacific Coast League defeated the International League 9-3 in front of 9,706 fans at Southwest University Park. All three Chihuahuas representatives had big nights in front of the home crowd at the RMHC Triple-A All Star Game. Third baseman Ty France was named the Pacific Coast League BUSH’S Beans Top Star of the Game Award, after homering in the third inning. El Paso teammate Luis Urias also homered in the fifth inning while catcher Austin Allen added a hit and an RBI for the PCL.

As the Chihuahuas resume their season tonight at home with Albuquerque, the San Diego Padres continue to explore trade options to help bolster their Wild Card chances. MLB.com's Jon Morosi reported that the Padres recently asked the New York Mets about the availability of starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard. It is no secret that San Diego general manager A.J. Preller has been looking to upgrade his young pitching staff since the offseason. Although Syndergaard has not been nearly as dominant as recent years, the 26-year old would give the Padres a major boost in the second half of the season. Morosi reported that the Brewers and Astros are also showing interest in the Mets pitcher.

If Preller and the Padres are able to make some moves before the July 31st deadline, he has one of the deepest farm systems in all of baseball to work with. Although names like Hunter Renfroe, Kirby Yates, and Will Myers have all been mentioned the most in rumors, the Padres have some big trade chips in El Paso that could also be involved. France has had a terrific season with the Chihuahuas, and the third baseman is currently blocked at the big league level with Manny Machado. Even if France moved to second base, Luis Urias is still considered the team's future anchor at the keystone. The 24-year old appears to have a terrific future in the Major Leagues although it might not be in San Diego.

The Padres have used a total of 12 starting pitchers this season, and some of them have spent time with the Chihuahuas. After rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Dinelson Lamet returned to the Majors last Thursday. Logan Allen and Cal Quantrill were both Top 100 prospects entering the season, and one of them could be dangled in a deadline deal. Like Allen and Quantrill, Chihuahuas catcher Austin Allen has spent part of 2019 in the big leagues. He projects as a strong offensive profile (.309 avg 12 HRs 29 RBIs), but Allen has worked hard to improve his defense behind the plate. If San Diego is unable to find a taker for defensive specialist Austin Hedges, Allen could be a valuable player to many clubs seeking a young catcher.

The next few weeks will be interesting for Padres and Chihuahuas fans. Even if some popular names are sent packing, the team has the next wave of prospects gathering more seasoning in Amarillo. Right fielder Jorge Ona will be a huge fan favorite at Southwest University Park, while pitchers Adrian Morejon and Michel Baez are exciting young arms. Even Nick Margevicius has never spent a day in El Paso, despite 12 starts with the Padres and making the big league rotation out of Spring Training. The 23-year old has spent the last three weeks with the Sod Poodles and he could boost the Chihuahuas starting rotation in the second half of the season.