Padres Acquire Freddy Fermin From Royals at MLB Trade Deadline: Reports

The San Diego Padres, after completing a blockbuster trade earlier in the day, are adding to their depth at a key position in a trade with the Kansas City Royals.

Catcher Freddy Fermin is going to San Diego in exchange for starting pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek, according to multiple reports Thursday.

Jeff Passan of ESPN was first to report Fermin was headed to San Diego.

The Padres shocked the baseball industry earlier in the day by acquiring All-Star closer Mason Miller from the Athletics. General manager AJ Preller had no incentive to approach the 6 p.m. ET trade deadline with caution from that point on, making it sensible that he would add to one of the team’s weakest positions.

For all their game-calling skills and defensive prowess, neither Martin Maldonado nor Elias Diaz are talented major league hitters. Combined, they had given the Padres -1.7 Wins Above Replacement at the position according to Baseball Reference — 30th among the 30 major league teams.

Now the Padres will add a 30-year-old veteran with a .255/.309/.339 slash line this season (.268/.314/.383 career) to the mix. Fermin was the primary backup to nine-time All-Star Salvador Perez at catcher in Kansas City. The Royals also have veteran backups Luke Maile and MJ Melendez in the organiztion; both can potentially fill Fermin’s shoes.

Both teams have an off-day in the schedule Thursday, and will not need to make corresponding 26-man roster moves until Friday.

Bergert, 25, is 1-0 with a 2.78 ERA in 11 games (seven starts) this season for the Padres. Kolek, 28, was 4-5 with a 4.18 ERA in 14 starts.

More to come on this story from Newsweek Sports.