Digging out of their third last-place finish in four years, and this time under new management, the Boston Red Sox on Friday night acquired closer Craig Kimbrel from the San Diego Padres for four minor leagues.
The Padres, conversely, appear to be restocking a minor-league system stripped bare by their hell bent efforts to compete in the NL West for the first time in a half-decade.
Kimbrel has 224 saves over the past five seasons. In four of them, all with the Atlanta Braves, his total led the National League. He was traded to the Padres on the eve of the 2015 season in what was viewed as another piece toward rare Padres relevance. It did not work, though Kimbrel posted 39 saves and a 2.58 ERA.
Perhaps this is a sign Padres general manager A.J. Preller will take a more measured approach toward reconstructing a club that disappointed in his first season in charge of baseball operations. The players acquired from the Red Sox — right-handed pitcher Logan Allen, outfielder Manuel Margot and infielders Javier Guerra and Carlos Asuaje — are well regarded prospects, particularly Margo, Guerra and Logan.
On Thursday, Preller traded Joaquin Benoit, the Padres’ eighth-inning reliever, to the Seattle Mariners for two minor leaguers, a pitcher and an infielder.
Among their many problems, some of which cost general manager Ben Cherington his standing with the club (he eventually resigned), the Red Sox had a bullpen that ranked near the bottom of the American League. Dave Dombrowski, therefore, spent from his farm system to settle the ninth inning. They will pay all of Kimbrel’s salary — $11 million in 2016, $13 million in ’17, and a $1-million buyout on a $13-million option in ’18.
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