San Diego Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has never been shy about how he operates when it comes to the MLB trade deadline.In recent years, Preller has executed multiple blockbuster deals, including trading for star outfielder Juan Soto and closer Mason Miller. So this season, many expect Preller to go all-in once again, looking to vastly improve the Padres' roster.And with the Padres on the fringes of the playoff race, something has to be done. But Preller is facing pressure not associated with the current season, but with the new ownership group now in place.According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Preller is one of a few front office members around the league who have a lot to prove. Preller just got a contract extension from the Padres, but this all happened before the sale of the team. "The team’s late owner, Peter Seidler, was Preller’s biggest sponsor, backing his heavy spending and aggressive trading. Seidler’s brother, chairman John Seidler, negotiated Preller’s extension. But it’s possible that if approved, new owners José E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones, could over time develop other ideas," Rosenthal wrote. Even with the success of Preller over the years, the veteran executive may need to prove himself to the new owners. Under the leadership of Preller, the Padres have made the postseason in four of the last six seasons, but the team has failed to win the World Series.The new owners may want to bring in their own person to run the show. However, for now, he is in charge of this team and will do whatever he can to help make this roster into more of a World Series contender.The Padres have multiple holes to fill heading into the trade deadline, with offense and starting pitching being the priorities. Preller will need to answer some questions around how aggressive the Padres will be, especially with a limited number of quality prospects left in the farm system. The new owners are expected to grant Preller more financial freedom to add to the team, but how he goes about this remains to be seen. The Padres have been linked with some of the bigger names that could be available, but whether they can execute another massive trade remains to be seen.San Diego has started to play a little better of late, with the team sweeping the Atlanta Braves in its most recent series. But they still find themselves as a poor offensive team, and unless something changes, that isn't a recipe for success in the postseason.Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X/Twitter for the latest newsAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow