This daring Padres offseason strategy would mean one superstar in, one superstar out

The Padres are facing an uncomfortable truth. The team needs to acquire more star players to anchor the lineup, but has committed so much money long-term to their core that they might not have any more to spend.

Then there's another uncomfortable conversation to be had about Jackson Merrill. Once regarded as the future of the Padres' infield, he moved to center field and looked like a future star in 2024. But regression hit him hard in his sophomore season, and it no longer feels like Merrill can be counted on in the future.

Signing Kyle Tucker and trading Jackson Merrill would be the Padres’ most shocking offseason move yet

What if the Padres took a big swing, and signed Kyle Tucker this offseason? Tucker would be an upgrade over Merrill in the lineup. Ramon Laureano could shift into centerfield, with Tucker in left and Fernando Tatis in right field. It would cost a lot of money, with Tucker's projected value estimated around $40 million by Sportrac. That's without a signing bonus or any incentives, which could drive his cost even higher.

However, beating the Dodgers and winning the NL was never going to be cheap. Tucker is good enough to push the Padres over the top. He would provide more power and more consistency than Merrill.

The idea of signing Tucker might only be possible by clearing up space in the future payroll and shipping Merrill out of town. Parting ways with their former top prospect would not be an easy sell, but if the reward is the chance to sign a guy like Tucker, it has to be considered.

Merrill is a good player, a borderline all-star. Tucker, however, is an all-star player and borderline MVP candidate. There is a difference. For a team trying to win now, Tucker's current stardom is more valuable than Merrill's potential.

The Padres likely could bring in quite the haul for Merrill if they did trade him. Because he is young, and because of his great 2024 season, there will be plenty of suitors if San Diego makes him available. They could flip Merrill for a couple of prospects, save some money, boost their farm system, and then make a splash by adding the best free agent available.