The Padres NEED His Bat...

🚨 PADRES OFFSEASON WATCH! Today, Andrew McFarland breaks down four Japanese players who could be available to MLB teams as soon as November, ranked from most likely to least likely for the San Diego Padres to land. Kaima Taira and Hiromi Itoh are expected to be posted in early November, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. Kona Takahashi is already a free agent who can sign with any MLB club. Shugo Maki is a possible posting candidate, but that has not been confirmed. No Padres interest has been reported in any of them, and MLB.com's Michael Clair lists the Padres as a potential fit for Takahashi. Padres Digest breaks down the 2026 stats for Kona Takahashi, Hiromi Itoh, Kaima Taira and Shugo Maki, the Dec. 1 lockout clock, and whether any of them fit San Diego. ⚾ THE NOVEMBER CLOCK A posted player has 45 days to sign with an MLB team, and the CBA expires Dec. 1, when a lockout is expected. That is why Taira and Itoh are expected to be posted early. How much time do the Padres have to act? What happens to a posting window if talks freeze? ⚾ KONA TAKAHASHI AND HIROMI ITOH Takahashi went 9-6 with a 2.54 ERA over 138.1 innings for the Seibu Lions in 2026, and he does not need a posting fee. Itoh, the 2025 Sawamura Award winner, went 10-10 with a 3.18 ERA over 172.2 innings for the Nippon-Ham Fighters, after a 2.52 ERA in 2025. Is Takahashi the most realistic Padres target? Can Itoh bounce back? ⚾ KAIMA TAIRA Taira went 12-5 with a 1.36 ERA and 141 strikeouts over 146 innings for Seibu in 2026, after closing in 2025. Full-Count reports at least 15 MLB teams are interested. How do the Padres compete for him? Starter or reliever? ⚾ SHUGO MAKI Maki hit .283/.363/.564 with 30 home runs and 75 RBI in 108 games for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in 2026. A posting has not been reported. Would a 2B/1B fit the Padres? Will DeNA post him? 🔥 PADRES NEWS & RUMORS COVERED: Padres Japanese pitchers Kona Takahashi Padres Kaima Taira Padres Hiromi Itoh Padres Shugo Maki Padres Shugo Maki MLB Kona Takahashi free agent Kaima Taira posting Hiromi Itoh posting NPB posting system 2026 MLB lockout December 1 Padres offseason 2026 Padres free agency Padres news today Padres 2027 season 💬 PADRES FANS: Which Japanese player should the Padres go after: Kona Takahashi, Hiromi Itoh, Kaima Taira or Shugo Maki? COMMENT BELOW! 🔴 SUBSCRIBE to Padres Digest for Padres news, rumors, game recaps, injury updates, roster moves and player analysis through the 2026 offseason and the 2027 MLB season. --- Padres Digest is a YouTube channel dedicated to covering all the latest news, trades, reports, and rumors about the San Diego Padres. We provide in-depth coverage of game highlights, player performances, and analysis of team strategies. Our channel features discussions on key players like Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado, and Xander Bogaerts, along with insights from Manager Craig Stammen and General Manager A.J. Preller. Stay connected for exciting updates and engaging content on everything Padres! Have you ever wanted to break into sports media as a write or content creator? Apply to join the Digest Media team today here: https://digestmedia.ca/join-us/ for_digest_redistribution --- Unchanged --- MLB Trade Rumors, MLB Free Agency, MLB Draft, World Series Predictions, Fantasy Baseball Tips, MLB Betting Odds, MLB Jersey Review, Player Performance Breakdown, DraftKings MLB Picks, FanDuel MLB Strategy, Baseball Analytics, MLB Highlights, MLB News Update, MLB Stats, MLB Roster Moves, MLB Predictions

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