When the Padres signed Matt Carpenter before the 2023 off-season they were hoping he'd pair with Nelson Cruz to form a potent designated hitter platoon. Neither player panned out.
Cruz was released and Carpenter (for some reason as of yet unknown) fell out of favor, going a month without getting a single at-bat. He finished with a .176 average and five home runs in just 188 at-bats but remained professional and prepared the entire time, earning praise from former manager Bob Melvin. When Carp triggered his $5.5 million player option for 2024 it just about guaranteed the Friars would find a way to get his contract off the books.
On Friday, San Diego traded Carpenter and left-handed reliever Ray Kerr (plus an undisclosed amount of cash) to the Braves for minor league outfielder Drew Campbell. Kerr has promising stuff has only thrown 32 innings over two seasons, usually in mop-up duty.
Campbell was a 23rd round pick by the Braves in 2019 out of Louisville, advancing last year to Double-A. He hasn't hit much as a pro with just 22 home runs in 852 at-bats but his defensive highlight reel is stellar. Campbell can play all three outfield spots and will likely serve as a depth piece in the Padres system.
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This deal is less about roster construction than it is about the money. The Padres get another couple of million dollars under the luxury tax threshold and with multiple holes on the roster to fill every cent counts.
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