This overlooked outfielder could be the Padres’ quickest depth win

San Diego Padres fans have spent most of this offseason doing the same two things: staring at their roster situation like it owes them money, and watching A.J. Preller treat it like a vending machine he’s determined to shake until something good falls out.

But here’s the important context shift to the outfield: this won’t be about San Diego needing a new everyday left fielder. It’ll be about why they need more outfield depth. 

Ramón Laureano is already sitting there as the current answer in left field. That’s a perfectly reasonable place to start. He brings real athleticism, a strong arm, and enough pop to keep pitchers honest.

Austin Hays could be A.J. Preller’s smartest low-drama roster move

The issue isn’t Laureano. The issue is what the Padres look like behind him, and how quickly a roster can go from “fine” to “we’re patching this with hopes and prayers” once the season starts doing what seasons always do: handing out bruises, tight hamstrings, and random week-to-week illnesses.

This is why Austin Hays makes so much sense as one of the most "clean" depth-and-DH targets on the board — not as a rumor, not as a "sourced 'Padres are in' situation", but as the type of practical, realistic move contenders will make when they're seriously building a roster that will be able to endure 162 games and have options in October.

In the most basic terms, The simple case for Hays is that he provides the Padres another legitimate, right-handed at-bat they can use with Intent. The Padres do not have to pretend he's a full-time everyday player. Especially with his injury history, if he's playing two or three times a week and coming off of the bench in the right moments that still provides a meaningful role.

And the Padres should care about that because the difference between “good lineup” and “streaky lineup” is usually the bottom third. It’s the nights when the top guys don’t carry you, and you need one solid plate appearance in the seventh inning to flip the game. Hays has been that kind of player when he’s right.

A big reason is that he’s historically been a problem for left-handed pitching — and that’s the sort of specific, weaponized skill that plays perfectly in a depth/DH role. In 2025 with the Reds, Hays posted a .941 OPS against lefties, which is exactly the kind of split you can build a plan around. The Padres don’t need him to be an everyday staple; they need him to be the guy you circle on the lineup card when a southpaw is starting, or when the opponent tries to get cute with left-on-right bullpen matchups late. 

The contract angle matters here too, because this isn’t a “break the budget” ask. Hays isn’t going to command a franchise-altering deal. He’s the exact type of player who can land on a short-term contract, which fits the Padres’ perpetual tightrope walk between competing now and staying flexible. And if other clubs are sniffing around him, that’s not an argument against it — it’s a reminder that teams who expect to play meaningful baseball tend to value the same things: right-handed power in spots, roster flexibility, and bench bats that aren’t just there for vibes.

This is what a real depth win looks like. Not a splash. Not a star. Just another adult bat who makes the roster less fragile and gives the Padres more ways to win games when things get messy — because they always do.

If Preller is going to keep shaking the vending machine, this is the kind of piece you actually hope drops.