The San Diego Padres have spent two years trying to sand down the rough edges of a streaky offense. When the power sagged, the lineup couldn’t manufacture traffic; when the slug returned, the strikeouts stacked up in the wrong innings. If 2026 is about balance, more balls in play without punting impact, then San Diego should be looking for hitters who shorten innings for pitchers and lengthen innings for themselves. A bat that trims whiffs, sprays the big part of the field, and still punishes mistakes.
That profile lives in Japan right now. Yomiuri Giants captain Kazuma Okamoto is expected to be posted this winter, and his skill set maps neatly onto what the Padres need: compact swing decisions, above-average contact quality, and enough thump to matter in Petco without selling out for it.