On the final day of Spring Training, the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves have made a trade that continues the off-season strategy of both clubs. The Padres, who have loaded up this winter, add closer Craig Kimbrel, as well as outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. (aka B.J. Upton), for right-hander Matt Wisler, outfielders Cameron Maybin, Carlos Quentin and Jordan Paroubeck, and the 41st pick in this year’s draft.
In Kimbrel, 27, the Padres get a man who has been the most dominant closer in baseball over the last several years. The flame thrower has posted a 1.43 ERA while saving 186 games and being named to four All-Star teams over the last five seasons.
Upton has struggled greatly since signing in Atlanta in 2013 and is owed big money, $46.35 million over the next three seasons. Over the last two seasons he has a .593 OPS and -1.6 WAR. He will likely be the Padres fourth outfielder. The Padres acquired his brother Justin Upton, also from Atlanta, earlier in the off-season. He seems like a salary dump on the Atlanta side of things.
Wisler seems to be the headline piece of this deal from the Braves perspective. Maybin and Quinton look like salary dumps by the Padres, in exchange for them absorbing the bigger deals of Upton and Kimbrel. They had been pushed out by the acquisitions of Upton, Wil Myers, and Matt Kemp this off-season; and quite frankly were not that good last year.
Maybin, 28, has two years and $16 million remaining on his contract. He hit .235/.290/.331 last season in 95 games.
Quinton, 32, has one year and $8 million remaining on his contract. He hit .177/.284/.315 in 50 games with the Padres last season.
Wisler, 22, had a 5.01 ERA in 22 starts in the big hitting PCL last year in AAA. He had a 2.10 ERA in six starts at the AA level.
Paroubeck is a 20 year old outfield prospect who hit .286/.346/.457 in rookie ball last season.
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