Three potential offseason targets for the San Diego Padres

San Diego entered the 2023 season as a favorite to challenge the Dodgers in the NL West, but the year has been a total disappointment for the Padres. This offseason they'll need to strategically retool if they hope to compete next season. 

Jung Hoo Lee, OF, Kiwoom Heroes (KBO)

Ha-Seong Kim was one of the premier hitters in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) before joining the Padres. Once again the club could look to Asia to fill a need on the roster. Lee's posting this offseason has been a highly anticipated event for fans of international baseball. Lee, who just turned 25 in August, is perhaps the most talented hitter from Korea to ever come to the major leagues. 

Lee is a .340/.407/.491 hitter across his seven seasons in Korea. A true contact hitter with gap power, Lee won the KBO MVP Award in 2022 after batting .349/.421/.575 with a career-high 23 home runs. 

Legacies mean something in baseball and Lee comes from a famous pedigree. His father, Jong Beom Lee, played in both the KBO and NPB (Japan's top league), winning multiple accolades including the KBO MVP Award in 1994. The elder Lee is viewed as one of the most talented players of his generation. 

Max Kepler, OF/1B, Minnesota Twins

Minnesota holds a team option for Kepler for the 2024 season, valued at $10M with no buyout. Even if they exercise it, there are no guarantees he's still a Twin come spring training. Assuming he is available, either via free agency or a salary-dump trade, there could be a fit with the Padres. San Diego should be looking for depth at the corners, both in the outfield and first base. 

Kepler has hit .251/.320/.482 this year, with 20 doubles and 22 home runs. The production is right in line with his career marks, though the .251 batting average is just behind his career-best. The left-hander won't dramatically reshape a lineup but he's been a serviceable piece for the Twins since debuting in 2015. 

Lucas Giolito, RHP, Cleveland Guardians

2023 has been a challenging year for Giolito that has seen him struggle on the mound for three different clubs. Traded by the White Sox at the deadline for prospects and then dumped onto waivers a month later by the Angels, Giolito ultimately landed in Cleveland. He's made 29 starts on the year overall, posting a 7-13 record and 4.89 ERA while allowing an AL-high 36 home runs. It's not the year Giolito was hoping for with free agency approaching. 

San Diego should be looking for starters this offseason, regardless of whether the team brings Blake Snell back or not. Giolito has been a force in the rotation in the past and the Southern California native could jump at the chance to pitch close to home for a contending team.