The San Diego Padres are poised to be active at the MLB trade deadline. With a little more than a week to go, the Padres have already been linked to a few different deals.

Dylan Cease is apparently on the market, while the Padres are inquiring with the Baltimore Orioles for Charlie Morton. But, the most interesting move the Padres have been linked to has been trade talks with the Atlanta Braves for Marcell Ozuna.

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Late Tuesday night, Hector Gomez of Z101 Digital reported that the Padres have intensified trade talks with the Braves in an Ozuna deal, which would send two pitchers, Ryan Bergert and Francis Pena.

However, a day later, Braves writer for MLB.com Mark Bowman responded to a fan question about the Ozuan trade rumors with the Padres. His update was a concerning one.

“According to my sources,” Bowman writes, “the Braves and Padres haven’t had any discussions of any kind about Marcell Ozuna.”

It’s a very firm stance for Bowman to take. He’s saying that his source has said there have not been any trade conversations between the Padres and Braves for Ozuna.

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Gomez’s source is claiming trade talks are intensifying, while Bowman’s said there aren’t any trade talks at all.

Two polar-opposite reports are a very interesting but concerning update for the Padres. While the potential addition of Ozuna isn’t the move most expected, he’d still be a nice boost to the lineup.

Instead of the left fielder that most are expecting to go after, Ozuna is a designated hitter. This type of addition would keep Gavin Sheets in left field while Ozuna takes over at designated hitter for the rest of the season.

MORE: Padres ‘don’t match up’ with Red Sox in trade for All-Star MVP

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However, a deal isn’t straightforward, beyond these conflicting reports. Ozuna has 10-5 rights, meaning he has a full no-trade clause. If he doesn’t want to be traded, he can veto any deal and stay a Brave.

Ozuna has a .235 batting average this season with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs. His .751 OPS is a lot lower than his previous two seasons (.924 and .904 in 2024 and 2023, respectively).

But, while the 34-year-old hasn’t been at his best, he’d still be a nice pickup for the Padres. After Gomez’s report Tuesday night, it seemed like the Padres were closing in on a deal.

But now, after Bowman’s report, the Padres and Braves might not even be engaged in trade talks at all. It’s a strange and concerning update, as the Padres might not be close to landing the Braves slugger at the deadline.

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