"Outfielder Ryan Ludwick couldn't help the Padres reach the playoffs after San Diego acquired him from St. Louis last July.

But that won't prevent Ludwick from being moved again this year.

Sources say the Phillies, Mariners and Reds are among the teams that have already inquired about Ludwick's availability. And the Padres are signaling that they are willing to move Ludwick, the 32-year-old who is eligible for free agency at season's end.

San Diego appears to be one of the few certain sellers, with roughly 40 days to go before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. If parity around the game causes the overall supply of available players to be short, this could become a busy trading season for Padres general manager Jed Hoyer.

As of Tuesday, the Cardinals had yet to contact the Padres about the possibility of reacquiring Ludwick. But that could change if St. Louis struggles to score without superstar Albert Pujols, who is expected to miss at least the next month with a broken bone in his left forearm. (The Cardinals lost to the Phillies, 10-2, in their first full game without Pujols on Tuesday night.)"