Padres linked to All-Star free agent slugger who can resolve San Diego's power woes

The San Diego Padres are an exciting team, right? The fireworks of stardom from Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado has turned the organization into can't-miss television. Add Mason Miller's limitless velocity on the mound, too, and the Padres objectively are one of the more fun teams to watch.

But, what is the most exciting part of baseball? It would have to be home runs, and almost unbelievably, the Padres hit the 28th most homers (152) in Major League Baseball in 2025. It's borderline unfathomable, but the Friars did struggle with the long ball, only hitting more collective home runs than the Cardinals and the Pirates.

How can San Diego remedy this blemish? Phillies' slugger Kyle Schwarber is entering the free agent market, and Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report has the Padres as one of the top candidates to pursue Schwarber this offseason.

Schwarber's 56 home runs in 2025 would have accounted for almost 37 percent of the Padres' round-trippers. Those 56 jacks led the National League, marking his second home run title in the last four seasons.

Schwarber will be 33 years old this coming March, but he is not showing any signs of slowing down. Yes, he is a DH-only player, but it is difficult to completely overlook everything he has done at the plate as he's entered his mid 30s, which is highlighted by a career-high 4.7 bWAR this year. Not only did he lead the NL in homers, but he was also tops in RBIs (132) - which is 37 more than anyone else on the Padres' 2025 roster. He was also in the 100th percentile in hard hit percentage.

Machado led the Padres with 95 RBIs, and then there was a massive falloff in production. Tatis Jr. and Gavin Sheets both drove in 71 runs. Speaking of Sheets, the 29-year-old is arbitration eligible this offseason, which raises some questions. He had a tremendous start to his debut season in San Diego, but he produced an OPS south of .700 in the back-half of the year. As the Padres look to build a World Series contender, those metrics won't be enough to rely on him to be the everyday DH.

It will be a make-or-break year for Sheets in 2026, but rather than just praying on his potential, slotting Schwarber in every game as the designated hitter is a much safer bet. If Sheets finds his stride again, the Friars can find time for him in left field or first base in a part-time setting.

As the Phillies are seemingly starting break off from their core, Schwarber may find San Diego as a desirable destination. The pieces are in place, and President of Baseball Operations AJ Preller is signifying that the club is nowhere near done building. If Preller offers a generous deal in the three-year range, that may spell out a perfect match for the Padres and Schwarber.