The Padres need more pop in the lineup. Adolis Garcia has that in spades. Would the Rangers be willing to trade him?

The Padres need thump, especially in the outfield. The lineup in San Diego is top-heavy at the moment. Once you get past Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth, Luis Arraez, Jackson Merrill, and Xander Bogaerts, there is a talent drop-off the size of the one in the movie Finding Nemo.

Gone is Jurickson Profar, who put together an incredible campaign in 2024 in left field. He likely will seek a multi-year deal worth more than the Padres probably are willing to spend on him. Designated hitter is even up in the air, with players like Tirso Ornelas, Eguy Rosario, or Tyler Wade currently slotted to be the DH. The Padres need more power badly. Even if it comes in the form of an outfielder with suspect defense or a true DH.

The Texas Rangers won the World Series in 2023. In some ways, that feels like a decade ago. Now, they are one of the teams losing their partnership with Diamond Sports Group and, hence, a stream of revenue. That might lead the Rangers to make a few deals to shed payroll and reshuffle the deck, especially after missing the playoffs.

Don’t forget, the Rangers’ current general manager and president of baseball operations is former Padres hurler Chris Young. There is a connection on both sides, as the Padres’ own general manager and president of baseball operations is A.J. Preller, a former scout and assistant GM for Texas.

Adolis Garcia was their ALCS MVP during their run two seasons ago. He has massive power from the right side of the plate. Over the last two seasons, he is 13th in Major League Baseball with 64 homers and 10th with 293 RBI. The Rangers experienced a down year when defending their title. Garcia is included in that downturn. Even still, he finished the season with 25 homers, 85 RBI, and 27 doubles. He seemed to battle injuries, even while playing.

Perhaps a full offseason after a bumpy year will do him good. Also, he could possibly benefit from a change of scenery.

The 31-year-old is under contract for two more seasons. He is owed $9.25 million, which is certainly affordable given his track record. Since the start of 2021, he is averaging 31 homers and 96 RBI over 607 games.

Garcia certainly isn’t a perfect hitter. His lifetime batting average hovers around .240, and he is prone to piles of strikeouts. He embodies the era of the Three True Outcomes. However, the constant threat he brings with his elite power would complement the rest of the Padres lineup well.

The Padres are looking for more pop and a left fielder. While Garcia’s defensive numbers leave much to be desired, he played 131 games in the outfield last season. In right field for Texas, he posted -5 Defensive Runs Saved. Even with shaky defensive metrics, he has an elite arm, ranking in the 84th percentile last season and 95th in 2023. During his career, the Cuban slugger owns a .819 OPS when he is the designated hitter. The Padres might be able to get away with Garcia playing left, given that’s the easiest of the three outfield spots at Petco Park.

If the Padres find a better defensive left fielder, Garcia could platoon in left and serve as the primary designated hitter. Either way, Garcia adds power to a lineup that needs more juice, especially from an outfielder or DH spot.

Obviously, as he is under contract for two seasons, the Padres must swing a trade instead of simply sign him. San Diego has more of an advantage, given Garcia had a slightly down year in 2024, with the Rangers looking to shed money. Parting with a blue-chip prospect likely won’t be necessary.

The Rangers likely want some pitching help in return. The Padres could offer Jhony Brito and catching prospect Brandon Valenzuela in a package to acquire Garcia for the next two seasons.

Nick Lee

Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.