On a day featuring one of the oldest baseball rivalries as the Opening Game of the 2015 season on Sunday Night Baseball, A.J. Preller and the Padres put the cherry on the top to an exhilarating offseason. In the late afternoon on Sunday April 5, 2015, the Padres agree to a blockbuster trade with the Braves that would swap two Friar pitching prospects, Carlos Quentin, and Cameron Maybin for Atlanta’s stellar closer, Craig Kimbrel along with Melvin Upton Jr. The now Padres’ closer Craig Kimbrel, has $33 million left on his contract that takes him through the 2017 season with a buyout option of $13 million for 2018. In addition, the Padres will receive $24 million from the Braves to help pay for Upton Jr.’s and Kimbrel’s contract. Obviously the super closer, Craig Kimbrel, is the highlight of this trade, as it makes the message more clear about San Diego going for it all.
At the trade deadline this past season, the Padres traded away a great veteran closer in Huston Street, leaving them without a definite closer for the upcoming season campaign. That hole that was left empty until today, was one of the reasons for many analysts not putting the Padres as Fall Classic contestants quite yet, so the new San Diego GM went out and completed yet another big transaction. Does this move put them over the edge?
Before the acquisition of Craig Kimbrel the Padres were looking at 87-88 wins, and just missing the playoffs, but now with not only the starting rotation getting protection, but the bullpen able to now shut the door, the Wild Card is in San Diego’s hands. Kimbrel has led the league in saves the last 4 seasons with an ERA of roughly 1.40. He is shaping into the NL’s Mariano Rivera, or better yet, the next Trevor Hoffman; as he is now a Padre.
San Diego is not quite ready to win the Series, but they are extremely close, as they now have good starting pitching, run support for the man on the mound, and someone to close the door in the 9th inning. Borrowing a couple more small transactions on the offensive side, the Padres are ready to go for it all in 2016. Craig Kimbrel is the game changer that can take control of a franchise like the San Diego Padres.
