Jul 26, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Freddy Fermin (34) hits a two run home run against the Cleveland Guardians in the second inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images The San Diego Padres continued wheeling and dealing ahead of the trade deadline Thursday afternoon, making a splash by acquiring All-Star slugger Ryan O’Hearn and outfielder Ramon Laureano from the Baltimore Orioles, according to multiple reports.
The Padres also confirmed the acquisition of Kansas City Royals catcher Freddy Fermin and Toronto Blue Jays infielder Will Wagner.
The return for O’Hearn and Laureano was not yet known, but both are projected to make a major impact for a Padres team chasing the Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League West lead.
O’Hearn, named to his first All-Star Game this season as a designated hitter, is batting .283 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs through 94 games. O’Hearn, who turned 32 on Saturday, has split his time among first base, right field and designated hitter along with two starts in left field this season.
Laureano, 31, is batting .290 with 15 homers and 46 RBIs through 82 appearances in 2025, his first season in Baltimore. He has played all three outfield positions in his career but has spent the most time in center field and right field.
San Diego landed Fermin from the Royals in exchange for right-handed pitchers Stephen Kolek and Ryan Bergert.
Fermin, 30, has spent his entire major league career with the Royals and broke into the major leagues in 2022. In 67 games this season, he has batted .255 with three home runs, 12 RBIs and 17 runs.
Across 251 career games, Fermin is a .268 hitter who has recorded 18 homers, 31 doubles, 80 RBIs and 84 runs.
Kolek, 28, is in his second season in the majors and moved from the bullpen to the Padres’ rotation this year. In 14 starts in 2025, he is 4-5 with a 4.18 ERA and tossed a five-hit shutout against the Colorado Rockies on May 10.
In 56 career games (14 starts), Kolek has amassed a 7-5 record and a 4.56 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 126 1/3 innings.
Bergert, 25, is a rookie who made his debut for the Padres in April and has had a mix of starting and relief assignments. Bergert is 1-0 with a 2.78 ERA through 11 appearances (seven starts), with 34 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings.
San Diego also added Wagner — the son of newly minted Hall of Famer Billy Wagner — in a one-for-one trade that sent minor league catcher/first baseman Brandon Valenzuela to the Blue Jays.
Wagner, 27, has batted .265 with two homers and 18 RBIs in 64 career games with Toronto (2024-25). Valenzuela, 24, has a .229 average, 12 homers and 46 RBIs in 87 games this year with Double-A San Antonio.
–Field Level Media
