Maybin added, Quentin designated in series of moves

MIAMI -- When the Braves completed Sunday night's trade that sent Craig Kimbrel and Melvin Upton Jr. to the Padres, they set the stage to make a flurry of roster moves that forced manager Fredi Gonzalez to deliver a tough message to Pedro Ciriaco.

Ciriaco began crying when he was pulled into Gonzalez's office on Saturday and was informed that he would likely be on the Opening Day roster. But those tears of joy were erased by the frustration the 29-year-old utility man felt when he arrived with the Braves in Miami and learned that the roster spot he was expecting to fill would instead go to Cameron Maybin, an outfielder acquired in the Kimbrel deal.

"It was tough telling him," Gonzalez said in reference to Ciriaco, who will now begin the season with Triple-A Gwinnett.

To create a little extra time to get this blockbuster deal done, the Braves included left-handed reliever Josh Outman on their Opening Day roster before it had to be submitted by Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. They did this because they would gain more roster flexibility by filling a spot with a player destined to go on the disabled list.

Thus it was not surprising, when the Braves announced on Monday that Outman had been placed on the 60-day DL with left shoulder discomfort. This created enough room on the 40-man roster for both Maybin and Carlos Quentin, who was also acquired from San Diego on Sunday.

While Maybin was in Miami to serve as a backup center-field option for Monday's Opening Day contest, Quentin will never officially join the Braves. He has been designated for assignment, and the Braves will now attempt to trade the oft-injured outfielder to an American League club. But there seems to be a strong possibility that they will simply eat the $8 million Quentin is owed this year.

Quentin was simply included in the trade to satisfy the financial aspects of this deal, which was made because the Padres were willing to assume all of the $46.3 million Upton is owed over the final three years of his contract.

Gonzalez said Maybin will occasionally play center field against left-handed starting pitchers and be used as a late-inning defensive replacements. If the Braves have a lead late in games, they could strengthen their outfield defense by placing Maybin in center and moving Eric Young Jr. to left field.