On August 6, the San Diego Padres officially released veteran catcher Martín Maldonado and outrighted utilityman Tyler Wade to Triple-A El Paso, another aftershock in the wake of the team’s aggressive trade deadline.
Let’s be honest, this move wasn’t exactly a curveball. The writing’s been on the clubhouse wall ever since the Padres traded for Freddy Fermin from the Royals to share catching duties with Elias Díaz. And while either Díaz or Maldonado could’ve been shown the door, Díaz holds a mutual option for 2026. Maldonado? He’s 38 and was on a one-year deal. One way or another, this was always a rental with an expiration date.