This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here . And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

It’s late August, and the Padres are making a serious postseason push, vying for their first National League West crown in 19 years. The focus is on 2025. As it should be.

But I think one of the most underdiscussed -- and underappreciated -- aspects of A.J. Preller’s Trade Deadline was just how well he set up this Padres offense moving forward. Specifically: How much the general manager checked off his offseason to-do list several months ahead of time.

It’s worth noting right now, with Ramón Laureano mashing and Freddy Fermin establishing himself behind the plate , San Diego was going to enter the offseason with two

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