The San Diego Padres were able to make the playoffs this past season, sweeping the National League Wild-Card series over the Chicago Cubs.
But the Padres fell short of winning the World Series, being eliminated by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS. San Diego now enters an offseason that will be massive for the franchise, with there being all sorts of pressure on the shoulders of president of baseball operations A.J. Preller to find success.
The Padres desperately need help in the starting rotation, with Preller needing to build out the entire cast of arms. But the team could also use another bat for the lineup, giving this team more firepower for next season and beyond.
Padres Linked to Star
One name that has been linked with the Padres this offseason is Japanese star Teruaki Sato, who is coming to the United States. Sato has been a big discussion around baseball this year, and San Diego could be one of the teams best positioned to land him.
MLB analyst Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball has predicted that Sato will indeed land with the Padres this offseason. The contract projection for Sato came in at six years, $102 million, which seems to be around what most people around the league believe the star will get.
“In a market that is devoid of potent bats, Teruaki Sato is getting posted from his NPB club, the Hanshin Tigers, at the perfect time. Sato has hit 79 home runs over the past two seasons, and in this free agent class, that makes him the top left-handed slugger on the market.
“Now, how much the market shifts Sato’s value is still up in the air. Our contract prediction is looking at past history, where Seiya Suzuki signed a five-year, $85 million deal with the Cubs, and Munetaka Murakami matched that $17 million AAV last season, albeit on a two-year deal,” Finkelstein wrote.
Sato will be coming to the big leagues fresh off an impressive season in the NPB, giving multiple teams a chance to bring in a star. The upside of Sato is there, but there are concerns around his ability to hit increased velocity, much like with many players who come over from Japan.
Does This Move Make Sense For Padres?
Given where the Padres are right now, if they could bring in Sato, it would be a massive move for the team. Sato is one of the more highly sought-after players this offseason, and the Padres could improve the offense by signing him.
Putting his bat into a lineup with Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado could see the Padres have a legitimate offense, which has always been the plan for San Diego. Sato could thrive playing at Petco Park, feeding off the energy from the strong fanbase.
Other teams could outspend the Padres on Sato, especially with their pitching needs, but he feels like he could fit well in San Diego. The Padres should be trying to land Sato, giving this team a boost for the next few seasons.
Padres Predicted to Land $102M Star in Huge Offseason Move