After being bought for a then-record $3.9 billion valuation by José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones, the San Diego Padres are expected to be quite active this offseason. With rockstar general manager A.J. Preller at the helm, the combination of financial flexibility and Preller’s creative roster construction could bring San Diego the championship roster they’ve longed for. According to a report by Dennis Lin of the Athletic, the Friars are targeting several Japanese-born free agents. Which could be the best fit for San Diego? Here is a look at three free agents the Padres could add this offseason, with each ranked from least to most likely to be signed.

OF Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs

Suzuki is one of the best outfielders currently on the market this offseason. The slugger just became the fourth Japanese-born player in history to record 100 career home runs in MLB. In doing so, he joined Japanese greats Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui and Shohei Ohtani. Suzuki has hit 20-plus homers in four consecutive seasons, along with a .270 or better batting average in three of the last four years. He’s posted an OPS above .800 in four straight seasons, continuing to be one of the most consistent offensive outfielders in baseball.

The slugger became an all-around phenom in 2026, improving his defense in right field immensely. Suzuki posted career highs in Fielding Run Value (+7) and Outs Above Average (+5). That being said, Suzuki doesn’t fill an obvious position of need for San Diego. With Fernando Tatis Jr. entrenched in right field, he could shift to left field, but the defensive fit isn’t nearly as clean (+0 career OAA). Tatis could return to the infield, becoming the Padres’ full-time second baseman. He manned the position quite well in 2026 while Jake Cronenworth was on the injured list, but it’s more likely that San Diego targets a left fielder.

3B/OF Teruaki Sato, Hanshin Tigers

The reigning NPB Triple Crown winner has just three weeks to ink a deal with an MLB organization or else he will return to Japan. That could drive up the bidding on a potential contract, with some suggesting that Sato could garner up to five years at $180 million. However, Sato’s high strikeout numbers could make his market cool off. A similar phenomenon happened to Munetaka Murakami when he was posted last offseason. Murakami ended up settling for a two-year, $34 million deal and flourished. Sato’s strikeout numbers aren’t nearly as alarming, making it unlikely that his market cools.

San Diego is in need of an everyday left fielder. The current platoon of Dustin Harris and Samad Taylor worked in 2026, but neither has enough track record to trust they’ll keep producing. Sato can offer consistency at a position that has been lacking it. Left field has been a verifiable black hole in San Diego. The Padres have had four different left fielders in each of the last four Opening Days, with at least 22 different players manning the position in the last four seasons. Across six seasons in NPB, Sato has hit 167 homers with a .273/.338/.516 slash line. That kind of production could be exactly what San Diego needs, if the price is right.

LHP Shota Imanaga, Chicago Cubs

This is the most obvious fit of the three. Not only have the Padres been lacking a left-hander, but they’re in desperate need of starting pitching altogether. Imanaga has yet to replicate his otherworldly 2024 rookie campaign (2.91 ERA, 173.1 IP), but has pitched well since. In three seasons (492.1 IP) with the Cubs, Imanaga put together a 3.45 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and .226 opponent batting average. He’s not a massive strikeout pitcher (465 K’s), but he’s able to find creative ways to record outs. Perhaps a reunion with fellow countryman Yu Darvish could bring out the best in the southpaw.

Imanaga is one of the better mid-tier free agents on the market. Despite the lack of depth in this offseason’s free agent class, the starting pitching category has plenty of interesting options. Sure, two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal buoys that group, but plenty of other pitchers headline the group. Because of that, the Padres could land Imanaga on a back-loaded deal in order to acquire the left-hander’s services. With the departures of Walker Buehler, Griffin Canning, Lucas Giolito, ace Michael King, Casey Mize, Nick Pivetta and Robbie Ray, San Diego has work to do. Signing Imanaga would go a long way toward fixing their rotation problems.