The San Diego Padres made it to the NLCS in 2022 despite not having Fernando Tatis Jr. all year, first because of an injury and then because of a suspension. The front office made huge splashes by acquiring Juan Soto, Josh Bell, and Josh Hader ahead of the trade deadline, bolstering an already stacked roster to help them make a deep playoff run. After the NLCS loss, the Padres will now turn to the offseason and MLB free agency to make more moves in order to take the next step, with Tatis' return also helping matters. These are some of the free agents San Diego must target in the offseason.
Brandon Nimmo
The outfield position is one of the positions this Padres front office can focus on in the offseason. Aaron Judge is by far the best choice, but it is unlikely he goes to San Diego given the other suitors involved, especially with Soto's contract situation needing to be handled. Thus, stealing Brandon Nimmo from the NL rival New York Mets would be a brilliant signing.
Having Jurickson Profar and Trent Grisham in LF and CF, respectively, is not terrible, but those two guys will not be enough to propel them to a World Series crown. There has been speculation that Fernando Tatis Jr. will play the outfield when he returns from his suspension, so having three impressive outfielders might just be the answer for the Padres.
Carlos Rodon
The top three pitchers in San Diego's rotation are Yu Darvish, Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove. Mike Clevinger and Sean Manaea are heading to free agency, so pouncing on the chance to get a talented lefty in Carlos Rodon would be an incredible signing for San Diego. Having four All-Star-caliber starters is critical when going up against the other contenders throughout baseball.
The probability of the San Francisco Giants retaining Rodon next season does not seem all that high. Jacob deGrom and Justin Verlander are set to hit free agency as well, but signing either guy is a long shot. San Diego needs a supplementary piece who will fit into the culture and environment in San Diego. Knowing their squad, Rodon is the perfect guy the Padres can slot into the role.
Zach Eflin
Josh Hader will be back in San Diego next season. He is one of the best closers in the game today, but he needs other complementary parts from his bullpen. Nick Martinez, Robert Suarez, and Craig Stammen are all on expiring contracts, so adding Zach Eflin as one of the setup men would be an intelligent decision by the front office.
Eflin is currently one of the best arms for the Philadelphia Phillies right now, so he would bring a sufficient amount of experience to a young Padres squad. Having a bullpen by committee in Philadelphia can be tough at times, but he would have less pressure in San Diego because of Hader at the back end.
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Some Padres fans may wonder why none of the biggest names on the market are likely options for their team. For a team that already has a number of superstars on the roster, they do not have that much leverage to spend a ton on other free agents. It is not just about the payroll, but also about how the players mesh well together on the field. The Padres just need a few key tweaks to reach World Series glory for the first time ever.
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