Three days after the Padres ponied up for the frontline starter they've been seeking, Mike Clevinger will get straight to work -- against the team that drafted him.

The 29-year-old right-hander is slated to make his Padres debut at Angel Stadium on Thursday night. The 4:10 p.m. PT matchup will be available live on MLB.TV.

As things stand, the Padres are in second place in the National League West, squarely in the playoff picture. And the addition of Clevinger should go a long way toward helping San Diego end its 14-year postseason drought.

"I'm stoked that they wanted me here," Clevinger said. "This is definitely a destination a lot of guys would like to be. It's all about showing up to the ballpark knowing you're going to contend. This is definitely one of those [teams]. I know it's been since 2006, but there's definitely something special brewing here."

The Friars landed Clevinger and Greg Allen and a player to be named on Monday in the nine-player blockbuster that sent Austin Hedges, Cal Quantrill, Josh Naylor and three prospects to Cleveland. Allen made his Padres debut in right field on Wednesday night.

Clevinger was drafted by the Angels in June 2011 and was dealt to Cleveland three years later. In four seasons with the Tribe, he posted a 3.20 ERA with 10 strikeouts per nine innings. In four starts this season, he owns a 3.18 ERA.

“He’s obviously been one of the best pitchers in the league,” said Padres general manager A.J. Preller. “You don’t usually get access to those kinds of pitchers. We knew it was going to take a big deal. … We’re really happy we got it done.”