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The San Diego Padres lacked power production this past season. They ranked 18th in the league in RBIs (663) and 28th in home runs (152). Only six players hit more than 10 home runs: Manny Machado (27), Fernando Tatis Jr. (25), Gavin Sheets (19), Jackson Merrill (16), Jake Cronenworth (11), and Xander Bogaerts (11). These numbers fall well short compared to their NL West counterparts who won the World Series; the Los Angeles Dodgers finished second in home runs (244). To compete for a World Series title next year, the Padres must add power to their lineup.
The Padres face a budget limitation of $52 million in Competitive Balance Tax Space, so they must remain selective, as they have several needs to address. They could pursue a cheap power bat who would give them the needed boost and allow them to pursue other top-tier talent. Likewise, the Padres benefit from not requiring a starter; they can target a bench bat who could serve as a platoon or DH option for rookie manager Craig Stammen.
Let's analyze three players who fit this archetype and what they could bring to San Diego next season.
*All contract predictions are based on NBC Sports' Free Agent Rankings
Hoskins has reliably produced over his eight-year MLB career, excluding the 2023 season that he missed due to a torn ACL. He owns a career .820 OPS and 121 wRC+, but striking out remains an issue. Last season, he posted a 27 percent strikeout rate, slightly higher than his 25 percent career average. Staying healthy has recently become another problem, as he has played more than 110 games in only four seasons. However, in each of those four seasons, he hit more than 25 home runs. When healthy, he consistently demonstrates power at the plate.
As a right-handed bat, Hoskins could platoon at first base with Sheets, since Ryan O'Hearn became a free agent. Sheets struggles against left-handed pitchers over his career, and though he improved his OPS against lefties to .669 in 2025, significantly above his career average of .557, he's still a below-average contributor in those situations. With an estimated one-year price tag of $5 million, Hoskins looks like an ideal addition for the Padres.
Yastrzemski spent seven seasons with the San Francisco Giants before being traded to the Kansas City Royals this past trade deadline. His price tag is estimated to be a one-year deal worth around $11 million. This past season, Yastrzemski hit 17 home runs and drove in 68 runs over 558 plate appearances. He had trouble striking out over his career, with a strikeout rate of at least 24 percent in each of his first six seasons, but in 2025, he reduced that to 19 percent.
The 35-year-old offers a left-handed bat off the bench who can occasionally play in the outfield. Yastrzemski could platoon with Ramón Laureano, who had a breakthrough offensive campaign in 2025. He had an .812 OPS and a 127 wRC+ after being acquired at the trade deadline with the Baltimore Orioles. However, he's had up-and-down results against right-handed pitchers; overall, in his career, he has a .747 OPS in 1,979 plate appearances against righties.
Yastrzemski, meanwhile, posted an .809 OPS and 126 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers this season. As someone who can reliably fill in at all three outfield positions, he'd make a lot of sense as a fourth outfielder.
Kepler stands out as another experienced outfielder who can platoon in left field with Laureano next season. In Kepler's 11-year career, he has produced roughly average overall results, but in seven different seasons, he has recorded more than 17 home runs. He hit 18 home runs last season and collected 90 hits in 474 plate appearances.
That lack of overall production leads to an estimated $6 million price tag for a one-year deal. Kepler has alternated between single-digit and 17 or more home runs over his last six seasons—that trend is not ideal for a team that needs power production, but with the Padres facing budget restraints, Kepler's $6 million price tag appears enticing. It would allow them to spend on a higher-tier starting pitcher, especially with the latest news that Yu Darvish will miss the entire 2026 season.
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