The one thing Santa should bring the Padres for Christmas (and it isn’t subtle)

It's the Holiday season, which means it is the time of year children around the world are writing letters to Santa Claus, hoping they will receive a truly magical gift from the jolly old man with the red coat and reindeer.

If the San Diego Padres could ask Santa for one big present this Christmas, what would it be?

It might have been Michael King, who just recently resigned with the Padres on a three-year, $75 million contract. But perhaps Santa is feeling generous this year and wants to gift San Diego with another player this December. Who, or what, should the Padres ask for?

If Santa gives the Padres one gift, make it a middle-of-the-order bat

Simple: the Padres need a big bat to insert into their lineup. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado have been carrying the load on their own, but with Xander Bogaerts struggling to be productive and Jackson Merrill struggling to stay on the field, the Padres' lack of lineup depth was exposed in 2025.

The Padres’ need for a big bat is real, and it’s a lineup problem. It could be a left-fielder, a second-baseman, a first-baseman, a catcher, or a DH. No matter where he might play in the field, the Padres just need someone who can be a true impact in the lineup. Not a bounce-back candidate, not a young player with potential, and definitely not a veteran past his prime like Jose Iglesias last year.

The Padres need someone who can immediately slot into the lineup batting second or third. Someone who can hit .275, with 25 home runs, and an OPS+ around 120. Someone who can be a yearly All-Star, who can pair with Machado and Tatis to form a truly elite offense in San Diego. Someone who can take some of the pressure off of Merrill and Bogaerts.

It really does not even matter how the player gets here. A trade or free agent signing would both be acceptable; see Santa, we can be flexible!

If Santa needs us to get specific, there are a few names that stand out as top choices. In the outfield, Kyle Tucker would be an immediate impact add. In the infield, Bo Bichette at second base would help a lot. At DH, Marcell Ozuna would be a great addition.

There are ways to make a big impact acquisition happen; it might just take a little bit of extra Christmas magic for Santa this Christmas.