3 moves the Padres must make after whiffing on Trea Turner

The San Diego Padres’ hitting philosophy is based on grinding out at bats and not swinging at bad pitches. That’s ironic, because the Padres’ front office has now swung and missed on two occasions in this young offseason; first on veteran slugger Jose Abreu, and now on coveted shortstop Trea Turner.

In San Diego’s defense, though, you can’t really blame them for trying.

Abreu opted to sign for the world champion Astros, whereas Turner reportedly left a boatload of money on the table to sign with Philadelphia over San Diego. Per ESPN’s Buster Olney, Turner rejected a $342 million offer from the Padres to sign with the Phillies for $300 million.

The Padres’ offer was worth more than what the Mets gave Francisco Lindor last offseason, and yet, Turner opted for the City of Brotherly Love.

Padres officials are understandably frustrated by Turner’s decision. They legitimately couldn’t have done anything else to bring Turner aboard, and you can bet they’ll put this aggravation to good use by making other statement moves.

3 moves Padres should make after Trea Turner whiff

3. Sign Michael Brantley to cover LF/DH

Missing out on an aging slugger like Abreu, whose power numbers dropped significantly this season, normally wouldn’t hurt. However, Abreu was the cream of this year’s crop in terms of free agent first baseman and DH, and the remaining pool of talent leaves something to be desired as far as middle-of-the-lineup boppers.

A Josh Bell reunion is no longer possible after he inked a two-year deal with the Guardians on Wednesday.

With the first basemen market drying up fast, Astros free agent Michael Brantley makes perfect sense as a cover for Jurickson Profar in left field, and a potential everyday DH if the Padres move Fernando Tatis Jr. to the outfield.

One of the game’s most underrated sluggers, Brantley’s made four All-Stars over the last six seasons. During that span, he’s slashed .304/.364/.459. He’s only eclipsed 80 RBI three time in his career, and he hasn’t hit more than 10 home runs since 2019, but he’d bat anywhere from 2-6 for all 30 teams in the league.

At 35 years old, Brantley has aged like fine wine and has more than enough in the tank to help the Padres chase the elusive World Series title.