What the Lineup Would Look Like & Why a Trade Isn’t Likely
If the San Diego Padres were to add Kris Bryant, it would easily place them amongst the favorites to make the postseason, and possibly win the division with a high upside rotation that will include MacKenzie Gore, Luis Patino, and of course Chris Paddack.
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Here is what the lineup could look like with the addition of Kris Bryant:
- SS Fernando Tatis Jr.
- LF Kris Bryant
- 3B Manny Machado
- 1B Eric Hosmer
- RF Hunter Renfroe
- C Francisco Mejia
- 2B Luis Urias
- CF Manuel Margot
- P MacKenzie Gore
As you can see the lineup gets a whole lot deeper with the Bryant addition and would produce more home runs than this season (which is a franchise record).
The trade would work a lot better for San Diego if a team, perhaps the Cubs were willing to take on current Padres outfielder, Wil Myers, and his $83 million guaranteed contract.
Of course, I think it would be great if the Padres added Kris Bryant, but they would have to give up top pitching prospects and great hitting infielders like Ty France to fill Chicago’s hole, which I don’t believe A.J. Preller would want to do.
The Padres main need is to get veteran starting pitching help, as it has been for years, but they couldn’t get it done at the Trade Deadline with the Mets for Noah Syndergaard.
I am sure the San Diego Padres would want to use their resources this offseason on a trade for a Syndergaard-type pitcher instead of acquiring another outfielder, especially when they just acquired Nick Martini from Oakland (signed through 2024) and top outfield prospect Taylor Trammell from Cincinnati.