The Padres are hoping to upgrade their offensive production behind the plate as the July 31 trade deadline approaches, . Itll likely be a thin market for available catchers, which complicates their search. San Diego has leaned exclusively on and behind the plate this year and received virtually no production on the offensive side of things. That veteran duo has combined for a feeble .205/.268/.328 batting line in 296 plate appearances. The resulting 70 wRC+, which indicates theyve been 30% worse than average at the plate, ranks 27th in the majors. Unfortunately for the Friars, few of the clear sellers around the game have catching help for sale. The White Sox ( , ), Marlins ( ) Emmanuel Rivera Jersey and Rockies ( ) all have young catchers enjoying good seasons and all are controllable at least five years beyond the current campaign. Pittsburghs makes some sense on paper, but he hasnt been able to replicate last years breakout. The As would make another good speculative fit, but Rosenthal reports that they have no intention of trading . He adds that eveneven with ascending in Atlanta, a trade over the next four weeks isnt likely. There are some bubble teams who could eventually have catching depth to spare, but its not yet clear whether any of those teams will sell. The Reds only control through the 2026 campaign, and fellow catcher s recent three-year extension (plus a club option) gives them a bit more stability long-term. Similarly, the Twins and Rangers only have and under club control through 2026, although the latter is having a particularly down season at the plate. If the Orioles wind up selling, old friend would be a logical trade chip, as an impending free agent whose bat is heating up in recent weeks. On top of the likely lack of supply, the Padres will presumably have financial limitations. San Diego was known to be low on spending power late in the offseason, hence the creative structure of s four-year deal and the bargain-bin additions at catcher (Diaz, Maldonado), in left field ( , , ) and for the pitching staff ( ). The Padres are well into luxury tax territory an estimated $263MM worth of obligations, , puts them in the second tier of penalty so any additions would come with an additional 30% tax on top of their remaining annual salary. The Padres also have needs in the outfield corners neither Joe nor Heyward is still with the club and could use some additional rotation help with on the shelf and yet to make his season debut. Juggling all those needs, with potentially limited financial flexibility and a farm system that has been thinned by years of aggre sive win-now trades, could prove a tall order. The fact that San Diego is both reported to covet catching help and using Diaz and Maldonado exclusively also speaks to the manner in which former top prospect has fallen out of favor in the organization. The 26-year-old is hitting .315/.432/.613 in 224 Triple-A plate appearances but hasnt gotten much of a look in the majors this year. Hes struggled on both sides of the ball in the past, hitting .241/.295/.374 in 589 major league plate appearances while posting sub-par defensive grades. Campusano feels like a change-of-scenery candidate who could be on the move between now and the end of the month. Fred Lynn Jersey