The Braves on Friday night acquired left-hander Ray Kerr, designated hitter and infielder Matt Carpenter and cash considerations from the Padres for minor-league outfielder Drew Campbell.
For the Braves, this deal was all about Kerr. Carpenter is due $5.5 million in 2024, and Atlanta took on that contract — when it doesn’t need Carpenter — to get Kerr. And the Braves received an undisclosed amount of cash to offset Carpenter’s contract (according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the cash amount sent by Padres to Braves was $1.5 million).
Kerr has minor-league options and has six years of club control. As a pre-arbitration player, he’ll make the minimum salary for 2024.
An encouraging number: Kerr had 35 strikeouts over 27 innings in 2023. Kerr’s stuff will be a big help to Atlanta’s bullpen. Kerr’s four-seam fastball averages 96 mph and he complements it with a curveball.
In 2022 and 2023, Kerr had a 5.06 ERA over 32 innings across 29 relief appearances in the majors.
Carpenter is a seasoned veteran who probably is in the final years of his career. Last season, he hit .176 for the Padres. He’s due $5.5 million in 2024.
Carpenter has accumulated 28.9 Wins Above Replacement (per Baseball Reference) over a career that began in 2011 with St. Louis. He’s a three-time All-Star who has won a Silver Slugger Award.
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