With a key target gone, the Padres pivot their search for a power-hitting first baseman, exploring trades and a slim free-agent market.
The San Diego Padres have sure had a slow offseason, which is a bit odd with rockstar GM AJ Preller working the phone lines.
With a lot of the starting lineup returning in 2026, one area of need is a first baseman.
MLB.com reporter AJ Cassavell had four things the Padres need to add this offseason, and his second point was that they need a first baseman, and they were so close to landing one.
"As MLB.com executive reporter Mark Feinsand reported, the Padres were in the bidding for corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto before he signed with the Blue Jays over the weekend. Their precise level of interest remains unclear. But that interest makes it pretty clear what the Padres are looking for: A first baseman."
Ryan O'Hearn left and signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Luis Arraez is also a free agent, although there is a scenario where he returns.
But, an Arraez return wouldn't help their need for power, and sliding Jake Cronenworth over to first base to allow Sung-Mun Song to play second base also isn't a solution to the power struggles.
"But those options feel like stopgaps in the event of injury," Cassavell added. "The Padres’ lineup needs another bat, and the only real vacancy is at first base. A trade is possible; the free-agent market isn’t exactly overflowing with first-base options. There are a couple who might fit (including the still-unsigned Luis Arraez), but the Padres don’t exactly need to splurge. They just need a decent bat, who could slot in somewhere around sixth or seventh in the lineup."
Sure, Gavin Sheets played well last season and he could slot in at first base, which could allow Luis Campusano to play designated hitter and get consistent at-bats.
Still, that's a big gamble for a team that is eager to make a World Series run with the clock ticking all around Petco Park and the front office.
Currently, here is a list of available free agents for first base:
-Carlos Santana, Nathaniel Lowe, Luis Arraez, Paul Goldschmidt, Donovan Solano and Dominic Smith.
But, that doesn't include the trade options, and nobody ever knows what Preller is doing on his phone in regards to the trade market.
There is still time, but not bringing in another first baseman would be a bit of a surprise, and perhaps even a mistake, if the Padres want to compete in 2026.