Padres eyeing these two bats via trade

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres spent the first two months of the offseason reinforcing their offense.

They aren't done yet.

Even with the additions of Tommy Pham, Trent Grisham and Jurickson Profar, San Diego is actively scouring the trade market for another bat. Despite question marks on the pitching staff, its top priority remains the offense.

Two names that have emerged are Kansas City's Whit Merrifield and Pittsburgh's Starling Marte. The Padres have legitimate interest in both, sources said, though it's unclear whether general manager A.J. Preller is willing to meet the asking prices of those two clubs.

It remains unlikely that the Padres will make a move before the Winter Meetings wrap up on Thursday morning. But people with knowledge of Preller's discussions have indicated he's been very active in pursuit of trades this week.

In that regard, Marte and Merrifield aren't the only two options available. Preller will look elsewhere, too. But both seemingly fit the Padres' plans nicely. Here's why:

Starling Marte

Why they want him: The Padres have plenty of outfield depth but only one outfielder (Pham) who qualifies as a lock for everyday playing time next season.

"We've talked about [adding an outfielder]," Preller said. "We feel good about the group we have there. We feel like we have depth and quality. But, again, I think the roster is a work in progress. ... We'll continue looking at those different options."

Marte batted .295/.342/.503 with 23 homers and 25 steals last season. He's 31 and has a team option for the 2021 season before he'd reach free agency.

What he would cost: The Pirates have been clear about their desire to land a young catcher. As it would happen, the Padres have a few of those.

Austin Hedges and, to a lesser extent, Francisco Mejia are available this winter. Preller would prefer not to part with either of those two unless he can find another big league-ready catching option. But it's also possible the Pirates ask the Padres to dip into their Minor League catching depth -- where Luis Campusano and Luis Torrens are intriguing pieces.

If the Padres were to pair a catcher with a pitching prospect, that might be enough to land Marte. (It might also be too steep in Preller's eyes.)

Whit Merrifield

Why they want him: Merrifield fits the Padres' long-term trajectory perfectly. He has four years of team control remaining, meaning he'd help them in both the short- and long-term.

Already this winter, the Padres have traded Luis Urias and Xavier Edwards, leaving second base as arguably the biggest question mark on the roster. Jurickson Profar could fill that void, but he'd also fit nicely into a utility role. Plus, he only has one year remaining on his contract.

The 30-year-old Merrifield can play both second base and the outfield, and he posted an impressive .302/.348/.463 slash line with 20 stolen bases last season. His numbers are relatively even against left- and right-handed pitching, too, and the Padres have been vocal about their desire for lineup balance.

What he would cost: Whatever the price for Marte, Merrifield would cost a lot more. He's not going to become a free agent until after the 2023 season, assuming his $10.5 million final-year option gets picked up.

Coming off a 103-loss season, the Royals' preference is to build for the future. Merrifield would almost certainly cost the Padres a top-level prospect, and Preller has been notoriously hesitant to deal those.

There's reason to believe Marte is the likelier of the two acquisitions. But the Padres' interest in Merrifield is legitimate nonetheless.