The San Diego Padres are targeting multiple Japanese-born players in free agency.
The Padres have shown interest in left-hander Shota Imanaga, outfielder Seiya Suzuki, and NBP Triple Crown winner Teruaki Sato, sources told Dennis Lin of The Athletic.
San Diego has reportedly pushed for Japanese players in the past but couldn't land Suzuki, Shohei Ohtani, or Roki Sasaki.
The club already has two notable Japanese players on its roster: reliever Yuki Matsui, who signed a five-year, $28-million contract in December 2023, and Yu Darvish. The latter hasn't decided if he'll pitch in 2027.
With Michael King, Nick Pivetta, Robbie Ray, and Casey Mize testing free agency, the Padres need starting pitching. Imanaga could help address the problem, as the 2024 All-Star owns a 3.45 ERA with 1.04 WHIP and 8.5 K/9 over three seasons with the Chicago Cubs.
Adding Suzuki's bat would also help offset the loss of Ty France. The former Cubs slugger has hit 20-plus homers in four straight seasons and has a career .823 OPS.
Sato is one of the best position players available on the open market after the Hanshin Tigers posted the 27-year-old. He hit .306 with 39 homers, 106 RBIs, and a .991 OPS over 143 NBP games in 2026.
