Padres send Carpenter, Kerr to Braves
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Matt Carpenter’s Padres tenure came to an unceremonious end on Friday, as he was packaged with lefty reliever Ray Kerr in a three-player trade with Atlanta. San Diego received Minor League outfielder Drew Campbell.
The move puts an end to the question marks about Carpenter's future in San Diego. He struggled mightily in 2023 and didn't have a place in the team's plans for ’24 but was owed $5.5 million after exercising his player option.
TRADE DETAILS
Padres get: OF Drew Campbell
Braves get: 1B/DH Matt Carpenter, LHP Ray Kerr, cash considerations
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What are the Padres getting?
Campbell, 26, went undrafted in the Rule 5 Draft this month after he posted a .254/.307/.404 slash line in 78 games for Double-A Mississippi last season. The Padres need outfield help after the deal that sent Trent Grisham and Juan Soto to the Yankees, but this move doesn’t truly address that. The lefty-hitting Campbell is viewed mostly as a Minor League depth piece.
More important, the Padres freed up some financial wiggle room. According to a source, they sent $1.5 million to Atlanta in the deal, meaning the Braves will cover $4 million of Carpenter’s salary and $4.5 million of his Competitive Balance Tax hit.
The Padres also cleared two roster spots, with the departures of Kerr and Carpenter, bringing their 40-man roster to 32. Even during Hot Stove season, it’s rare for a team to have eight roster vacancies. But San Diego is likely to be busy in the months ahead, so that roster space might come in handy.
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What are the Padres giving up?
More than they would have liked. Kerr made notable strides last season and looked like the type of pitcher who could have factored into their 2024 bullpen. Instead, he was attached in a deal to free the Padres of Carpenter's salary.
Kerr posted a 4.33 ERA in 22 appearances last season. But he was particularly effective against left-handers, who combined to post a miniscule .161 batting average and a .547 OPS against him. With the Padres’ decision to non-tender Tim Hill last month, Tom Cosgrove is suddenly San Diego’s lone reliable lefty reliever.
As for Carpenter, he was unlikely to return to the Padres following his poor performance in 2023. The veteran was relegated mostly to DH duty and batted .176 with a .641 OPS. For the Padres, it was merely a matter of finding a trade partner.
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What’s next?
The Padres’ dire need for relief pitching is somehow even greater now. Josh Hader and Luis García have departed via free agency. Nick Martinez's team option was declined. Hill was non-tendered. Scott Barlow was dealt to Cleveland. Now Kerr is out of the mix, as well.
Kerr was never likely to pitch high-leverage innings. But he was perhaps a favorite for the Opening Day roster, particularly with the lack of lefty relief options. Now? The Padres must add multiple relievers. At least one should probably throw left-handed.
Meanwhile, Carpenter's departure brings salary relief, but it doesn't change much else. The Padres were already looking for a potent lefty bat -- the type they thought they’d be getting when they signed Carpenter last offseason.
Additionally, Campbell's arrival doesn't meaningfully change the Padres' outfield picture. He'll join a crowded mix of players vying for a big league job. But the Padres still are looking to add another starting outfielder this winter -- possibly two.