Is a three-time All-Star about to become the offseason’s biggest wild card?

Is a three-time All-Star about to become the offseason’s biggest wild card? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Sometimes it just makes too much sense. This winter, Tarik Skubal seems like the obvious star who will be moved because it makes too much sense for the Detroit Tigers to trade him.

But there is another star player who could fit that description too.

The San Diego Padreshaven’t indicated they’re shopping Fernando Tatis, Jr.; in fact, they've told local media they won't.

But it makes a lot of sense for the Padres to listen as opposing GMs try to overwhelm them with trade proposals.

Tatis is 26, coming off a 4-plus WAR season, and still one of the most talented two-way players in the sport. But the combination of his age, his contract structure, and the Padres’ shifting payroll posture makes him the rare superstar whose name can enter the conversation without it feeling like pure fantasy.

What sparked the latest round of speculation was a simple question: if elite right-handed bats are scarce and free-agent prices jump, who’s the most impactful player a contender could conceivably pry loose?

That answer led some in baseball, including YES Network’s Michael Kay on ESPN Radio, to float Tatis as a player worth exploring. Not because the Padres need to move him, but because so many teams badly need what he provides.

Tatis hit .268 with 25 home runs, 71 RBIs and 32 steals last season, all while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense in right field. He can still play shortstop or shift to left. His 14-year, $340 million contract averages just over $24 million annually through his age-36 season, with near-term salaries of $20–25 million that look increasingly team-friendly as revenues grow.

He also comes with some guarantees. Another PED violation could void the remaining money, a clause that, ironically, reduces long-term downside for a potential acquiring club.

Teams looking for star power, athleticism and contract control, like the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs all make sense. And if San Diego eventually explores reshaping its roster again, Tatis becomes the kind of player who can change an entire franchise’s direction overnight.

He’s not on the trade block. But he might be the most fascinating “What if?” of the winter.