Padres Predicted to Land $65 Million All-Star Slugger in Blockbuster Trade Deadline Move

The San Diego Padres need to add a bat before the July 31 trade deadline passes.

There's a good chance the team makes multiple additions to the position player group ahead of next weekend.

One name that has been constantly linked to San Diego is Atlanta Braves All-Star designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.

Ozuna, 34, is a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger on a disappointing Braves team with an expiring contract. Him not getting dealt would be organizational malpractice for Atlanta.

On Thursday, ESPN's David Schoenfield predicted 10 trade deadline moves and their domino effects. One of them included Ozuna landing with the Padres.

"The Padres are one of the potential landing spots for (Ryan) O'Hearn as they look to boost an offense that ranks in the bottom third of the NL in runs scored. Since we have O'Hearn going to the Astros, the domino falls to Ozuna going to the Padres to fill their DH hole. (They don't have a regular there.)

"His $16 million salary — or about $5.4 million over the final two months — might be a little steep for the Padres, but we know that general manager A.J. Preller will do something. He always does.

"Ozuna's power numbers are down this season, plus he has been terrible the past two months, so there is some risk here, but he had an OBP over .400 in April and May."

Ozuna is in the midst of a down year for his standards, hitting .235 with 13 home runs, 42 RBIs and an OPS of .749. Last year, across all 162 games as Atlanta's designated hitter, he hit .302 with 39 home runs, 104 RBIs and an OPS of .925.

Ozuna would be a great option to add length to San Diego's lineup. Adding someone like Ozuna, however, would mean Gavin Sheets moving to the field full time.

The obvious answer would be left field, where Sheets has been serviceable filling a major hole for San Diego. The team, however, could make multiple moves this deadline, opening up a spot at first base for Sheets. That would likely mean trading the expiring contract of Luis Arraez or moving Jake Cronenworth, both of which appear unlikely at this point.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.