San Diego Padres free agent target Kazuma Okamoto agreed to a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday. There were several reports that linked the Padres to the Japanese star, but in the end, he decided to play in Toronto where the 2025 American League Champions appear to be loading up to make a return trip to the World Series.
Padres president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller needs to complete the roster, and Okamoto is no longer an option for the first base void in San Diego.
Preller will have to evaluate other options and fits in free agency or via trade. The hope from the Friar Faithful is that whatever money was earmarked for Okamoto will be used to acquire other free agents.
Luis Arraez, at the right price, is a logical fit. He manned the position last year for the Padres and he improved defensively as the season progressed. There is no question that his personality fits the Padres clubhouse and there will not be an acclimation period if he re-signs with the team. In a recent Padres Reacts Survey on Gaslamp Ball, the fans decidedly liked the idea of a reunion with Arraez. The knock against him is his lack of power and that is a major area of need for San Diego, which finished 28th in MLB in home runs in 2025.
A player who does not lack power is free agent Eugenio Suarez. He, like Okamoto, is a third baseman by trade, but can play first base as well. Unlike Okamoto, he has proven he can perform at the MLB level and can provide the thump the Padres need in their lineup. The obvious issue with signing Suarez is the money. The contract predictions vary from report to report with some stating he could receive a multiyear contract up to $100 million or a two-year contract at $45 million, but there are other reports that state Suarez could settle on a one-year deal.
The contract that was of interest to me is the two-year, $45 million. I think this could be the number Preller and the Padres could use as a guide to come to terms with Suarez. Of course, a one-year deal would be nice because of the multiple lengthy contracts San Diego has committed to with Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill and Jake Cronenworth on the position player side, but most players want to have some sense of security with their contracts. That brings us back to the two-year deal. If they can agree to a number for the first year with an option, the second year may or may not become a factor.
If given the choice between Arraez and Suarez at a similar monetary number, I would take the power. Arraez had a down year offensively, but his value comes from base hits and not much more. Power and slug has never been his calling card.
Suarez hit 49 home runs, drove in 118 runs and scored 91 runs last season, while Arraez hit eight home runs, drove in 61 runs and scored 66 runs. Suarez gives the Padres what they need. He has hit 20 or more home runs every year since 2016. The one exception is the Covid-shortened 2020 season when he hit 15 home runs in 57 games. In two of the years since 2016, Suarez hit 40 or more home runs and in four of those years he hit 30 or more home runs.
It all comes down to money, as it always does, and the money that Preller and the Padres have to spend is unknown. The longer free agency plays out and the longer the top of the market remains unsigned, the more accessible Suarez becomes. Adding him to platoon with Gavin Sheets at first base and designated hitter seems like the perfect addition to the San Diego roster.
