SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Padres couldn’t start the season without yet another blockbuster deal by first-year general manager A.J. Preller.
Preller pushed ahead with his remarkable makeover of the Padres on Sunday when he acquired All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel and outfielder Melvin Upton from the Atlanta Braves for outfielders Carlos Quentin and Cameron Maybin, plus two minor leaguers and a draft pick.
While Upton will be reunited with his younger brother, Padres left fielder Justin Upton, this deal centered around Kimbrel, whom Preller called “an A-level performer.”
The Padres take on $80.35 million in guaranteed salaries to Kimbrel and Upton while shedding the $24 million guaranteed still owed to the oft-injured Quentin and Maybin.
“With the chance to acquire Kimbrel, who’s one of the best in the game, if not the best, it was a price we were willing to pay,” Preller said during a conference call. “He’s an A-level performer. He’s 26 years old. It’s an opportunity to strengthen our club.”