Padres linked to Braves slugger to bolster lackluster offense

The San Diego Padres' offense this season has left a lot to be desired. Despite the best efforts of Jackson Merrill, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado, the offense has been lackluster this season.

A huge hole they need to address is their designated hitter spot, and ESPN's David Schoenfield linked the Padres to a slugger who could be available. That slugger is Marcell Ozuna from the Atlanta Braves.

"The Padres have used their DH slot to give Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and others an occasional day off from the field," Schoenfield writes. "But it hasn't worked, with the Padres ranking near the bottom of MLB in OPS at DH."

In, potentially, comes Ozuna from the Braves. He's in the middle of a slump, but still would be among the best sluggers on the Padres roster. This season, in the final year of his five-year, $80 million deal, Ozuna is still an above-average hitter.

He has a .761 OPS on the year, and has a 114 OPS+ as well. While not up to the same standard as his past two seasons, he's still a solid contributor as a hitter. Ozuna is a designated hitter only, so it'd force the Padres to adjust their plans a little if they landed him.

But, those changing plans would be a good thing, as it'd come on the heels of landing a much-needed slugger for one of baseball's worst offenses. The Padres are the 23rd-ranked offense by OPS, ironically, lower than the Braves.

Despite their struggling offense, the team isn't far out of a postseason spot, and Ozuna could help them get back into the fight. There are other needs on the roster, including in left field and at catcher. But Ozuna would be a huge addition for the Padres.

The offense has been bad, and the team needs more sluggers at the trade deadline if they are looking to contend. Ozuna is 34 years old and on an expiring contract. He's a fairly reasonable target and would be exactly what the Padres need offensively to bolster their lackluster offense this season.