The San Diego Padres are sitting pretty atop the NL West as we head into summer, and all eyes are on A.J. Preller to make some savvy deadline moves to fuel a deep postseason run. But while the trade chatter heats up, one name is being called "untradeable" — and for good reason.

Zachary Rotman of Fansided.com recently highlighted $350 million slugger Manny Machado as a player who fits that label perfectly. "Even if Machado were performing at his typical star level, he's a 33-year-old under contract for seven more years after this one at nearly $40 million annually — a price virtually no other team would be willing to meet," Rotman writes. He also points to Machado's full no-trade clause as another major roadblock.

Here's the thing, though: the Padres likely have zero interest in moving him anyway. Machado is the heartbeat of this franchise. At 33 years old (he turns 34 on July 6th), he's signed through the 2033 season — meaning he'll be over 40 by the time his deal wraps up. That's a long commitment, and with his current struggles — a .191 batting average, .647 OPS, and 82 OPS+ through 38 games and 161 plate appearances — some might wonder if it's time to cut bait.

In theory, trading Machado could free up massive payroll space to invest in younger talent and reload for the future. But why would the Padres even consider it? He's the cornerstone of the lineup, the face of the franchise, and a proven postseason performer. When you're in first place and eyeing a championship, you don't trade your star — you build around him.