Padres: 3 immediate roster moves to replace Fernando Tatis Jr.

3) The Padres could go with an external option, like Andrelton Simmons

Fortunately for the Padres, whether it’s now or during the offseason, they could make a cheap free agent signing to help them at shortstop and/or help them in the infield overall on the bench. There are a few options that fit that mold, like Andrelton Simmons.

With Simmons, you know that you’re not going to get any kind of offense that is remotely similar to Tatis. However, defensively, he is one of the best shortstops ever.

In 34 games with the Cubs this year, he hit .173/.244/.187 with an OPS+ of 23. In 131 games with the Twins last year, he hit .223/.283/.274 with an OPS+ of 58. Defensively, he had 2 DRS at shortstop for the Cubs in 18 games there this year. He had 15 DRS for the Twins last year. He also has won four Gold Glove Awards and, in 2017, he had 41 DRS. That is the most for any player in a single season in MLB history.

Other recently released shortstops like Didi Gregorius and Alcides Escobar could help as well. Of the three, Gregorius has the best bat but he has not shown it in each of the last two seasons. Of this trio, Simmons would be the best but Ha-Seong Kim would still be the best overall.

The loss of Fernando Tatis Jr. will be huge but the Padres have already replaced him for all of the 2022 season already. They will just have to deal with it longer than they should have.