The Padres are heading into a winter that could force them to get inventive, and A.J. Preller appears ready to lean into a familiar lane: Japan.
San Diego has plenty of holes to fill, and the looming lockout only adds urgency as the GM meetings get underway this week. The rotation is especially unsettled. The market for starting pitching is thin, and the Padres could wind up replacing nearly the entire group, with Randy Vasquez the lone exception as a back-end arm already under contract.
Preller, though, has built a reputation for thinking differently. According to Dennis Lin of The Athletic, part of the Padres’ plan is to target multiple Japanese-born players, including left-hander Shota Imanaga, outfielder Seiya Suzuki and infielder Teruaki Sato.
That approach fits Preller’s track record. Lin noted that he “regularly crosses the Pacific Ocean to scout players,” and he also put together the ill-fated Yu Darvish deal. Darvish has even been floated as a comeback possibility while he continues rehabbing from elbow surgery.
The financial side may look different this time. The Padres now have a new ownership group, and Jose E.
Feliciano and Kwanza Jones have said they’re “all in” on winning. What that means in actual spending is still to be determined, but San Diego has more flexibility than it did before.
The Padres have also been linked to Tarik Skubal, though that pursuit would come in a crowded field with at least three big-spending clubs involved.
Imanaga stands out as a particularly clean fit. Lin reported that the Padres value his durability, and his flyball profile matters less at Petco Park. His projected price tag is $34 million over two years, which could look reasonable next to what Michael King is expected to command.
Suzuki would be a different kind of move. He doesn’t directly solve a current roster need, but his addition could let the Padres shift Fernando Tatis Jr. from right field to second base full time.
Suzuki is 32, and his projection comes in at four years and $108 million. If he turns down the qualifying offer from the Chicago Cubs, San Diego would also have to surrender a couple of draft picks, though those have rarely been a major obstacle for Preller.
Sato brings another angle entirely. The 27-year-old left-handed hitter has power, which is something the Padres need badly. His projected value is $105 million over five years, and Lin said he likely faces a Dec. 1 deadline to get a deal done.
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