Not-so-crazy ideas left in Padres' offseason

SAN DIEGO -- To some extent, the Padres have already overhauled their roster this winter.

Tommy Pham and Trent Grisham have arrived to bolster the outfield. In the rotation, San Diego swapped Zach Davies for Eric Lauer. And in the bullpen, Drew Pomeranz inked a four-year contract.

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But A.J. Preller is greedier than that. The Padres' general manager is still actively looking to improve at all three spots. Here's where things stand in his search:

AN IMPACT BAT

Where things stand: The Padres seem more focused on adding an impact bat than addressing the other deficiencies on their roster. Given the offense's performance down the stretch last season, that makes sense. Internally, the Padres feel they have the prospects available to make a trade for just about anyone. It's merely a matter of whether they're willing to part with future pieces in order to win now.

A not-so-crazy idea: The Padres have indeed discussed the possibility of a trade with Cleveland for Francisco Lindor, according to a source. But that shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Generally, Preller doesn't leave any stones unturned on the trade market, and Lindor would bring serious clout to the Padres' lineup. The price would be steep, and the Padres would need to decide where to use Lindor and Fernando Tatis Jr. defensively. But that's a question that Preller at least seems willing to entertain.

A more likely scenario: The Pirates are looking for a controllable catcher and perhaps some pitching depth. The Padres have both. Already this winter they've shown interest in trading for Starling Marte, who batted .295/.342/.503 last season and is under team control for two more years. It's a logical match, but the Padres would be more comfortable making the deal if they could move Wil Myers.

A STARTING PITCHER

Where things stand: When the Padres came away empty-handed at the Trade Deadline, Preller expressed his belief that the club would add a front-end starting pitcher this offseason. After seeing the prices on some of those arms, however, the Padres have backed away. In the big picture, they're much more comfortable with their rotation than their offense. Top prospects MacKenzie Gore and Luis Pati?o should arrive next season to join Chris Paddack as the long-term anchors in the rotation. The Padres don¡¯t seem interested in overpaying to supplement that group.

A not-so-crazy idea: Veteran free agents like Hyun-Jin Ryu and Dallas Keuchel might not fit the Padres' trajectory. That means a trade is more likely. It's already become clear the Indians are willing to deal, and 28-year-old right-hander Mike Clevinger is an enticing option. But like Lindor, he also wouldn't come cheap.

A more likely scenario: The Padres probably aren't players for the top arms on the free-agent market. But they could clearly use some pitching depth as they await the arrivals of Gore and Pati?o. The Friars were interested in Korean lefty Kwang-Hyun Kim before he signed with the Cardinals. It's easy to envision a similar signing -- a back-end starter who could compete for a rotation spot during Spring Training.

ANOTHER RELIEVER

Where things stand: The Padres seem pleased with the current state of their bullpen -- especially if José Castillo bounces back from his injury-plagued 2019. They feel the best way to ease the burden on their young rotation might be to build a lock-down ¡®pen and shorten games. Kirby Yates has already established himself as one of the sport's most dominant relief weapons. Behind him, righty Andres Mu?oz and lefties Pomeranz, Castillo and Matt Strahm comprise a high-upside group of setup men. But there's still probably room for one more addition -- most likely a right-hander.

A not-so-crazy idea: If the Padres are searching for a righty, they might be able to pursue Dellin Betances or Daniel Hudson without too many long-term strings attached. Betances is coming off an Achilles injury and missed most of 2019, and Hudson will turn 33 next spring. Both would unquestionably bolster the back of the bullpen. But as of now, there's no indication the Padres have met with either.

A more likely scenario: Craig Stammen spent the past three seasons in San Diego, where he posted a 3.06 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He filled nearly every role in the Padres' bullpen during that time, and he showed a penchant for getting both lefties and righties out. Stammen's performance regressed a bit in 2019. But the Padres have expressed interest in bringing him back. If they were to do so, Stammen would probably shift to a middle-innings role, given the newfound late-inning options. That role might suit him very well.