As the Padres dominated the headlines at the Trade Deadline, the joke was that July 31 should be renamed “A.J. Preller Day.”

As the schedule races toward October, should we be preparing for A.J. Preller Szn?

There will be a number of storylines to follow this offseason. Will Kyle Tucker stay in Chicago? Will Alex Bregman opt out in Boston? Will the Yankees keep Cody Bellinger?

But no team will be as fascinating to watch as Preller’s Padres, who are challenging the Dodgers in the National League West but will have significant work to do in order to do the same in 2026.

“The expectation with this group is always to go win a ring, go win a championship,” Preller said after his stunning Trade Deadline, which included five trades involving 22 players . “That's the goal.”

The core is in

See Full Page