Padres Linked to Standout Defensive Outfielder Coming Off Career-Year Offensively
The San Diego Padres have a clear need in the outfield. Shortly after trading Juan Soto and Trent Grisham to the New York Yankees, the team lost the bidding on outfielder Jung-Hoo Lee to the division-rival San Francisco Giants.
At this point in the offseason, the only outfielders on the 40-man roster are Fernando Tatis Jr. and José Azocar.
So, expect the Padres to add at least one outfielder before Opening Day in Seoul, South Korea rolls around.
The Padres reportedly aren't serious players for former Dodgers MVP Cody Bellinger, but Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report has a much cheaper idea. He thinks the Padres should add outfielder Michael A. Taylor, a player they've reportedly shown interest in this winter.
"The Angels, Padres and Pirates have all been linked to standout defensive center fielder Michael A. Taylor, who is also coming off a productive offensive season where he hit a career-high 21 home runs and tallied 13 steals."
Taylor is known for his defense, but he's also coming off one of the best years of his career offensively that saw him hit a career-high 21 home runs, drive in 53 RBIs and hold an OPS of .720. His OPS+ was just below-average at 94.
Taylor had another great year defensively with eight outs above average and five defensive runs saved above average. During his Gold Glove winning season in 2021, he had an incredible 18 outs above average and 19 defensive runs saved above average.
Putting Taylor next to Platinum-Glove winner Tatis Jr. would make for one of the best defensive outfields in baseball. And considering the Padres boast a lineup of Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts and Ha-Seong Kim, they can give up a little offensively towards the back of their lineup.
Taylor isn't all bad offensively, as over the course of his 10-year career, he's slashing .239/.294/.389 with 95 home runs and 332 runs batted in. He turns 33 at the start of the 2024 season.
